Film Production
Shemaroo posts Rs 45.8 crore Q1 loss as revenue and margins dip sharply
MUMBAI: Drama, but no dividends Shemaroo’s first quarter script writes itself into the red. The veteran media and entertainment company reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 45.8 crore for Q1 FY25, ballooning from Rs 17.2 crore in the same quarter last year. Even standalone losses were sharper, at Rs 46.9 crore versus Rs 17.5 crore year-on-year. Despite total income standing at Rs 143.2 crore, a steep rise in expenses especially operational and employee-related pushed the firm into deeper losses.
Revenue from operations dropped 9.6 per cent year-on-year to Rs 139.5 crore (from Rs 154.4 crore), and sank over 31.7 per cent from Rs 204.3 crore in the previous quarter (Q4 FY24). Employee costs rose marginally to Rs 31.2 crore, while operational costs climbed significantly to Rs 152.3 crore, overtaking revenue altogether.
Shemaroo’s loss before tax stood at Rs 60.9 crore for the quarter, compared to Rs 22.8 crore in Q1 FY24. The company’s total comprehensive loss now stands at Rs 45.8 crore for Q1 FY25, compared to Rs 17.2 crore a year earlier and Rs 5.1 crore last quarter.
The board, however, remained busy beyond the balance sheet. It approved the reappointment of three top Shemaroo executives Raman Maroo as managing director, Atul Maroo as Joint MD, and Hiren Gada as CEO for another three-year term beginning January 2026. Additionally, Namrata Shinde was appointed compliance officer, effective immediately.
But the real plot twist comes from the GST front. The company is entangled in a legal showdown after the GST department demanded recovery of inadmissible input tax credit (ITC) of Rs 70.3 crore, interest, and penalties totalling a staggering Rs 133.6 crore each on the Joint MD, CEO, and CFO. Shemaroo has challenged the order in the Bombay High Court and secured an interim stay on proceedings.
In another strategic move, the company plans to transfer the broadcasting license of Mango TV to Mango Mass Media Pvt Ltd for at least Rs 25 lakh, subject to MIB approval.
From VHS tapes to digital platforms, Shemaroo has seen the industry’s highs and lows. But if Q1 FY25 is any indicator, the road ahead might call for some tight editing and serious plot development both financial and regulatory.
Film Production
Arka Mediaworks onboards 88 Pictures as animation studio partner on ‘The Eternal War – Part 1’
Arka Mediaworks announces that 88 Pictures, the acclaimed animation and visual storytelling studio known for its cutting-edge CGI and cinematic artistry, is on board as the animation partner for the highly anticipated Baahubali: The Eternal War, a groundbreaking two-part 3D animated feature film set in the globally beloved Baahubali universe.
Baahubali: The Eternal War represents a bold new chapter in the Baahubali saga envisioned for national and international audiences and crafted with the ambition of delivering one of India’s most ambitious and globally benchmarked animation projects to date.
88 Pictures will execute the animation production, bringing to life the film’s richly detailed worlds, epic battle sequences, and larger-than-life characters with its signature blend of artistic vision, performance-driven animation, and advanced production pipelines. Working closely with the film’s creative leadership and technical partners, the studio aims to set new benchmarks in animation quality, cinematic storytelling, and global scalability.
This animated epic follows the successful re-release of Baahubali: The Epic (the combined theatrical version of the original live-action films) on 31 October 2025 across India and the USA. During the film’s interval, legendary creator and director S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, RRR) stunned audiences with a surprise teaser for The Eternal War – Part 1. The video immediately went viral, garnering widespread national and international acclaim across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for its ambitious visual style and scale.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks and led by co-founder and CEO Shobu Yarlagadda – producer of the iconic Baahubali duology, The Eternal War brings together fantastic storytelling and cutting-edge animation.. The film is directed and written by acclaimed animation filmmaker Ishan Shukla (Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Star Wars: Visions – “The Bandits of Golak”) and screenplay by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Mihira Visual Labs, the studio co-founded by Yarlagadda anchors the film’s animation, visual development, and execution.
The partnership with 88 Pictures brings significant pedigree to the project; the studio is well-regarded for its work on high-profile international titles including DreamWorks’ series Trollhunters, the HBO Max original series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Disney’s animated short An Almost Christmas Story to name a few.
Yarlagadda shared, “We are happy to onboard 88 Pictures as the animation studio partner for our prestigious and most expensive animated film from India. We believe that their expertise and capabilities will allow us to produce a first-of-its-kind, world-class animated feature film from India.”
88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind D. Shinde said, “Baahubali changed the way cinema is perceived and became a defining milestone that turned the tide for Indian live-action filmmaking. Expanding the franchise into an entirely new universe—at a never-seen, never-done scale—through an animated feature created in India for a global audience is set to redefine how the world views Indian animation. We are truly thrilled to be part of this landmark project and to bring it to life under the visionary direction of Ishan Shukla, guided by the experience and leadership of acclaimed producer Shobu Yarlagadda.”
Shukla expressed, “Eternal War requires a level of visual and emotional precision that can only come from teams who truly understand both craft and intent. Working with 88 Pictures, alongside Mihira Visual Labs, has been a deeply collaborative experience. This association brings together technical excellence and creative sensitivity, enabling us to translate an ambitious vision into a compelling cinematic reality.”
Baahubali: The Eternal War – Part 1 is scheduled for release in 2027
