GECs
Salman Khan to host Star Guild awards
MUMBAI: The award season is upon us, and the Film and Television Producers Guild of India has announced that the ninth edition of the Renault Star Guild Awards will take place on 16 January.
The award show will be aired on Star Plus and will be hosted by Salman Khan.
Star Plus general manager Gaurav Banerjee said, “We are pleased to host the prestigious Star Guild Awards, one of the most reputed and official awards of the Film & Television industry. The award winners are selected by the industry Guild – making it truly democratic, credible and honoring achievers across categories within the fraternity. With Salman Khan returning as the host yet again, we promise to make Star Guild Awards a power packed blockbuster night of celebration.”
Instituted to commemorate extraordinary achievements in Cinema and Television, Film & Television Producers Guild of India president Mukesh Bhatt said during the inaugural announcement, “The Film and Television Industry has witnessed an incredible year in 2013 with regards to the quality of content produced. We are very excited and look forward to the ceremony that will celebrate the incredible performances and have a great time this year as well.”
Renault India executive director Sumit Sawhney said “Renault India is happy to work together with the Guild in its second year to highlight achievements of distinct personalities driven by a commitment towards passion and excellence. Renault, the most awarded automaker in recent times, understands what it takes to win the hearts of people and also win accolades from a proficient jury. As we have always believed, both the Guild and Renault lay special emphasis on Driving the Change and are therefore a perfect fit with each other”
The show is conceptualised, produced, marketed and promoted by Wizcraft International Entertainment. The company’s director Sabbas Joseph said, “Wizcraft has partnered with the Guild for the past 8 years and we are very proud of the success of the event. We are certain that the 9th edition of this prestigious awards ceremony will be a huge success and honor some of the finest talent in the industry today.”
The award show will be held at the NSCI stadium in Mumbai.
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
