GECs
Sony Pal extends primetime with ‘Yeh Dil Sun Raha Hai’
MUMBAI: Achieving a growth of 30-40 per cent key markets within a month of its launch, Sony Pal (the newest channel from Multi Screen Media slate) is definitely leaving no stone unturned to mark its position in the GEC space.
But Sony Pal and Sab senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor believes that it still has a long way to go. “From the ratings perspective, we still have a long way to go. We don’t want to compare ourselves with any other channel within the space, but our main agenda is to showcase quality content that our TG can sample,” he says.
The channel which went live on 1 September targets women, mostly housewives in the age group of 15-34 years, in SEC BCDE markets. With the tagline ‘Yeh Pal Hamara Hai’, it claims to have content which empowers and that showcases positive aspects of modern India, while presenting the traditional aspect.
The channel currently has three hours of original content on-air which airs from Monday to Saturday between 7:30 pm-10:30 pm and two hours of original content on Sunday evening. In order to expand its prime time, it has joined hands with Balaji Telefilm’s Ekta Kapoor to present an intense love story ‘Yeh Dil Sun Raha Hai’ from 16 October onwards at 7 pm.
This show is Ekta Kapoor’s first association with Anooj Kapoor and Sony Pal. Moreover Ekta Kapoor says that it was a challenge for her and the team as they have usually restricted themselves to urban set ups. “I don’t have any friends and relatives staying in non metro cities. It was a challenge for all of us, we did our own research, visited that place, observed the culture and modified the storyline accordingly,” she says.
Set in the city of Patna, Anooj says that it wanted to break into the Hindi heartland and create something different.
The show charts the journey of Poorvi (played by Aparna Dixit), the daughter of a senior government employee and Arjun (played by Navi Bhangu), the spoilt son of the local coal mafia. Initially, Poorvi and Arjun can’t see eye to eye, but steadily get drawn towards each other and eventually, go on to combat all odds and family antagonism for their love. Unfortunately, both are destined to be apart. It is thus the story of two star-crossed lovers, their journey of adoration and hatred.
About the slot decision, Anooj revealed that mostly 80 per cent of housewives find it very convenient to watch shows at 7 pm. “This is because sometimes husbands haven’t arrived home yet and the kids are out playing and the dinner duty hasn’t started yet,” he says.
He further goes on to say that in the north where winter sets in from next month, it becomes very late after 9:30 pm, so, in that case 7 pm slot is very ideal from all these points of views. “Moreover, at 7 pm in the current GEC space you don’t have too much of competition,” he adds.
Anooj agrees to the fact that there are shows like Saathiya on Star Plus which is doing well and delivering good ratings. According to him there is lot of potential but not much competition.
If the show does well, the audience will be propelled to the 7:30 pm and other slots because women will know what to expect from the channel and they would sample the promos of other shows in that half an hour.
A 360 degree media campaign across TV, out of home, print and social media will be rolled out soon. TV is used to introduce the show concept, characters and premise. Other mediums like outdoors and print are used to reinforce the message and remind viewers to tune in.
The campaign is led by intensive TV advertising on the network’s channels and other channels to cover the HSM, supported by extensive outdoor visibility in key markets across the Hindi heartland. The message is being reinforced by regular print ads in the run up to the launch across leading dailies.
Media planners believe that though it is a good move doing a show at 7 pm slot, the channel will take some time to win the hearts of the audiences. “It all depends on content. If that manages to hold on to enough viewers to the show, the channel will automatically see growth in terms of viewership as well as reach.”
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.
