GECs
Star India shows now travel to West Asia, tripling ratings
MUMBAI: Indian television shows and serials are becoming popular in several parts of the globe. Other than the Indian sub-continent, the US and the UK, West Asia too is gradually wanting to watch engaging and entertaining Indian content.
One of the serials debuting in Armenia is — Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon. This “What Do You Call This Love” is Star India’s original drama which has debuted on television in Armenia.
The intense love-hate relationship and the romantic drama between Arnav and Khushi, who have separate and independent ideologies that do not match. The ratings for the television slot of this show on Armenia TV has tripled, and gone beyond as well.
Star India will be heading to MIPTV with a few chosen titles that includes Dil Bole Oberoi (translated as — My heart goes out to Oberoi ) and Ishqbaaz (which could be called as ‘The love pundit’) produced by the creators of Iss Pyaar.
Star India’s president of international business Gurjeev Kapoor has said that irrespective of geographies and culture, powerful stories would make a lasting impression on the audience. It had been crucial idea in making Star India’s content a winner which traveled to over 100 countries in the world. He said they were elated with the success of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon in Armenia.
Intellecta CEO Christina Vlahova and Star India’s long-standing partner in Russia, the CIS and Europe said that television slot ratings tripled or quadrupled wherever the series went. She said she worked on the introduction of the Indian drama series in the last six years and witnessed a number of successful territory launches. She said they could say for sure that “Iss Pyaar…” was one of the most successful series to start with in a new international territory.
Pan Armenian group – international relations officer Liana Muradyan said that Armenia TV left no stone unturned to offer the best content to its viewers, be it in-house production or a foreign one — “Iss Pyaar…” was one of them. Being one of the topmost Indian TV series showing gratitude and revenge, love and hate, respect and disrespect, Muradyan added, that the Armenian viewers loved it from the first episode.
The show focused on morals and high values of the characters along with love-hate relationship, also depicting traditions and rich culture of India, she said.
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.
