Fiction
Sonal Gupta joins Zee Entertainment Enterprises as senior vice president- syndication
Mumbai, India – Zee Entertainment Enterprises has appointed Sonal Gupta as its new senior vice president- syndication, based in Mumbai. With over 15 years of experience in the broadcast industry, Gupta brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role. Her appointment is effective November 2024.
Gupta’s most recent position was as head of content & alliances at One Life Studios, where she was responsible for leading syndication and acquisitions worldwide, driving business development through sales, licensing, and distribution, and curating content from renowned production houses.
Prior to that, she held senior positions at IndiaCast Media, Videocon D2H, and Neo Sports Broadcast, with a focus on international content syndication, digital platforms, and business development.
Gupta’s extensive experience in the industry has equipped her with a deep understanding of the global market and a proven track record of driving growth and increasing brand presence. She is expected to play a key role in shaping the company’s syndication strategy and expanding its global footprint.
MUMBAI: On Christmas morning, whilst most of Mumbai slept off festive cheer, Satyam Tripathi’s heart gave out. 25 December proved cruelly ironic for a man who’d spent his career crafting drama—this time, there would be no second take. He was only 57.
Tripathi was a scriptwriter’s scriptwriter. Within India’s chaotic television industry, where writers are treated rather like spare parts, he’d carved out something rare: respect. For years, he sat on the executive committee of the Screen Writers Association, helping transform along with other leaders, what was once a talking shop into an organisation with teeth. When writers’ rights were little more than punchlines, Tripathi helped pen a different ending.
His credits read like a greatest hits of Indian telly: Hitler Didi, 12/24 Karol Bagh, Ek Mutthi Aasman, Parvarrish Kuchh Khattee Kuchh Meethi. Millions laughed, cried and switched channels to his work. He also championed the association’s Screen Writing Awards, ensuring that good writing didn’t go unnoticed in an industry obsessed with ratings and revenue.
Those who knew him speak of an affable soul, generous with time and advice. In a cut-throat business, Tripathi was that rarest of creatures: genuinely helpful.
His remains were cremated the same evening in the presence of industry associates and friends. The credits rolled quickly. But his final script—a better deal for India’s writers—continues to play out. That’s the sort of ending he’d have appreciated.
(Scriptwriters, producers and friends will be getting together to honour Satyam Kumud Tripathi’s memory and to hold a prayer meeting on 29 December. The location: Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara, 4 Bungalows, Andheri West, Mumbai. The time: between 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM.)
