GECs
Sony launches ‘Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya’ as part of fresh afternoon menu
Sony Entertainment Television yesterday announced the launch of a new daily soap Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya, part of an initiative on SET’s part to repackage its programming in the afternoon band which becomes effective 4 June.
When asked about the logic behind placing a new serial in the afternoon band, Rekha Nigam, senior VP programming, says: “As we rule the weekend slots, we also want to capture the afternoon band and for that we will be providing a new bunch of programming.” Nigam made her comments at a press conference to announce the new drive in south Mumbai’s Oberoi hotel.
Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya is produced by Shobhna Desai, who has a number of popular serials like Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka, Alpaviram (afternoon slot on Sony) and Sony’s new prime time serial Hum Pardesi Ho Gaya, to her credit.
Kaun Apna… will be telecast at 1:30 PM and will replace the popular dance-based programme Boogie Woogie, which is being advanced to the 12 noon slot.
“Sony is specifically targeting the 12 noon to 3:00 PM time band,” Nigam says. According to Nigam, marketing research indicates that this was the peak viewing time in the afternoon band where the viewership essentially comprise housewives and school and college going kids.
The programming is also organised accordingly. Boogie Woogie‘ therefore targets all age groups but essentially looks at youngsters while the later programmes focus more and more on housewives.
Along with the Kaun Apna..., Ek Mahal Ho Sapno ka, another popular daily soap which currently airs at 10:15 PM, will air in the rescheduled afternoon band at 1:00 PM to make it more attractive for the viewers.
Reruns of recently launched prime time serials Kkusum and Kahin Diyaa Jale Kahin Jiyaa are also been scheduled for the band. However, old shows Alpaviram, Ajanabi, Aurat Ghar Ek Mandir and Itihaas will remain in their current slots between 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Alpaviram will be getting over by first week of June which will be replaced by Chhoti Si Asha
“We will be pushing the afternoon band. The packaging and promos will be specially done through newspapers, hoardings and on the channel,” says Nigam. She refused to give details on the budget Sony had set aside for the promotion.
Nigam would not be drawn into a debate on ratings. “We will be providing completely fresh entertainment and we will be pitching hard, so I am confident that we will grab the afternoon band also. As far as TRPs go, I dont believe in it, in the sense that our priority is to try and identify the concept which strikes a chord with viewers. The soul of any programme is the concept and TRPs follow that. So it is too early to talk about that.
As far as advertising goes, the rates per 10 second slot for Kaun Apna … and Ek Mahal Ho Sapno ka has been kept at Rs 80,000 and for other shows has been kept at Rs 60,000.
The new Schedule for Afternoon band from 12:00 to 3:00 on Sony.
| Time | Name of the show |
| 12:00 | Boogie Woogie |
| 12:30 | Kahi Diyaa Jale Kahi Jiyaa |
| 1:00 | Ek Mahal Ho Sapno ka |
| 1:30 | Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya |
| 2:00 | Kkusum |
| 2:30 | Ghar Ek Mandir |
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.
