GECs
Star Bharat: Comedy, devotional & fiction shows start on 28 Aug
MUMBAI: Star India, which is launching Star Bharat from the 28 August at 6 pm, will showcase inspirational stories about journeys of strong and fearless characters that rise for the collective. Celebrating the many facets of Fearless India, Star Bharat unveils a content line-up with strong, rooted icons and differentiated programming that is in line with the brand’s philosophy of “Bhula de darr”.
Om Shanti Om: For the first time on Indian television, a channel will celebrate the essence of devotional music with a contemporary twist. A devotional music reality show where tradition meets trendy, creating ‘trenditional’ music. The show will depict the musical journey of 14 voices that will give a contemporary touch to devotional songs and unify audiences across the country with their renditions. Produced by Colosceum, the show will mark the debut of Baba Ramdev on television as the Maha Judge. While the esteemed panel of judges will include Bollywood sensation Sonakshi Sinha, singer and music director Shekhar Ravjiani, and singer Kanika Kapoor.
Kya Haal Mr. Panchaal? –1 Saas. 1 Son. 5 Brides. Boon or bane? Kya Haal Mr. Panchaal? is a comedy of errors where a mother’s quest for the perfect bride lands her with five. See how a desperate mother’s prayer for the ‘perfect’ bride with 5 essential qualities gets answered in the form of 5 women with 5 different qualities. What follows is a series of funny events. Sometimes getting more than what you ask for can be a curse! Created in association with Optimystix, ‘Kya Haal Mr. Panchal?’ is a rib-tickling comedy starring Kanchan Gupta as the saas and Manindar Singh as the son.
Nimki Mukhiya- Set in Bihar this is a story of a village that has been ruled by men for years. Women here are confined mostly to being home makers. But a wind of change is about to set in. Call it opportunity or sheer luck, for the first time ever the state will witness something extraordinary. A naïve and bubbly young girl, Nimki, who loves to daydream and is unaware of the world outside her house, is about to take on the responsibility of her village and become the Mukhiya. The show is a journey of self realisation that power to change oneself as well as the environment we live lies within. Nimki’s unexpected position as the Mukhiya gives a comical twist to situations.
Saam Daam Dand Bhed- Saam Daam Dand Bhed is the personal journey of Vijay Namdhari, played by Bhanu Uday, a high-potential but misguided youth who doesn’t know what he wants from life. This family drama, based in a fictitious town in India, is produced by Shakuntalam Telefilms. When a storm shatters his life, Vijay finally finds the courage to fight back and protect his family. The show will trace his transformation from a carefree youngster into a political leader, who becomes the inspiration to many.
Ayushman Bhav- Set against the backdrop of Mathura, Ayushman Bhav is a gripping story of Krish. The show depicts the poignant tale of an eight-year-old boy whose childhood is not as simple as others’. Like other children his age, Krish plays with toys and games but he also harbors a burning desire to seek justice for the wrong doings in his past life. Produced by White Horse International, the revenge drama stars popular child artist Ricky Patel as the lead and Avinash Sachdeva, Megha Gupta, and Manish Goel as cast members.
Star Bharat’s launch campaign ‘Mat kar’ is based on a simple yet powerful insight on how we unknowingly allow different kinds of fears to creep into our minds and how these fears end up in stopping us from pursuing our dreams.
‘Mat kar’, an oft repeated phrase in Indian society refers to a pull-back factor. Pulling back from free flowing fun, nurturing a dream, making a life choice or simply following one’s instincts. The film, conceptualized by Star India’s creative team and directed by Shimit Amin of Chak De fame, takes us through various scenarios, some significant and some apparently not so, all of which play on fear. Star Bharat’s answer to “Mat kar” leading to fear is a resounding ‘Bhula de darr’…
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.
