GECs
Sony Entertainment Television returns with the third season of India’s Best Dancer
Mumbai: Giving extraordinary talent a platform to showcase their skill through its wide-ranging and impressive array of non-fiction properties, Sony Entertainment Television is all set to up the ante of entertainment with the launch of its homegrown dance reality show, India’s Best Dancer Season 3. Following the magnificent run of the previous seasons, India’s Best Dancer Season 3 Co-powered by Quick Heal and Nerolac Paint+, returns with this third edition seeking superlative dancing talent from different parts of the country. Ushering in a new era of dance, this season will commemorate those contestants whose moves will prove what they stand for, staying true to theme of the season – #HarMoveSeKarengeProve. Geeta Kapur and Terence Lewis will be reprising their roles as judges and the elegant Sonali Bendre will join them to complete the Jury Triad. Produced by Frames Production Company and hosted by Jay Bhanushali, India’s Best Dancer Season 3 starts 8 April and will air every Saturday and Sunday at 8 pm only on Sony Entertainment Television.
Starting with the auditions, the contestants will get only 90 seconds on the clock to impress judges with at least three power moves to go further in the competition. As the clock keeps tickling, the judges also known as the E.E.N.T specialists, will keep a close eye on the Emotions, Entertainment, Newness and Technique that the contestants bring forth in their acts. Judge Sonali Bendre will assess the performances on ‘Emotions and Entertainment’, while Geeta Kapur will look for ‘Newness’ in the moves and Terence Lewis will account for perfection in the ‘Technique’. The second phase will be the Mega Auditions that sees selected contestants battle it out in pairs or trios to move into the next round. With the Grand Premiere, the judges will announce the Top 12 contestants as the ‘Best Barah’ who will be introduced to their respective mentor in their journey ahead. Week on week, these 12 contestants will have to impress the judges and audience alike to move closer to winning the most coveted title of India’s Best Dancer!
Promising dance, diversity, and delight – the third season of India’s Best Dancer will make everybody groove with a spectacular blend of contestants who will showcase styles like popping, boogaloo, animation, tutting, waving, contemporary and classical amongst others.
Sony Entertainment Television head programming Sonal Yadav said, “Sony Entertainment Television believes in giving ordinary people extraordinary opportunities that enables them to pursue their passion and hone their skills. And it gives us immense pride to see our successful homegrown property – India’s Best Dancer set exceptional standards for dance and entertainment in the reality show category. This platform has been instrumental in discovering unique talent with each season witnessing new dance forms and performances that are at par with international standards; establishing a high benchmark for the contestants in this third edition. We are delighted to welcome Sonali Bendre on the judges panel alongside Terence Lewis and Geeta Kapur. Our theme – #HarMoveKaregaProve is testimony to the strength of the amazing talent we have culled out through the auditions, and we look forward to creating an entertaining and unparalleled viewing proposition for our audiences.”
Frames Production Company producers Ranjeet Thakur and Hemant Ruprell said, “We are delighted to associate with Sony Entertainment Television for the third instalment of ‘India’s Best Dancer’ and having Sonali Bendre join Geeta Kapur and Terence Lewis is a great addition to the judges’ panel. We are privileged to be providing a foundation for budding talent so that they may flourish and excel in this field. This season will witness talent who will stun one and all with their exceptional moves, truly proving why they deserve to be in the spotlight. Here’s wishing the contestants of India’s Best Dancer all the very best!”
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
