GECs
Star Plus and Sony gain big in TAM week 38
MUMBAI: The war for ‘the best among the rest’ continues even as the top three positions see no change in week 38 of TAM TV ratings. The week has worked wonders for Star Plus and Colors with its high properties Mahabharat and Bigg Boss seven respectively hitting the TV screens.
Star Plus is the highest gainer this week with 534,590 GVTs (477,029), holding the number one slot. Well! the reason is quite clear, Mahabharat opened up with commendable 8,445 TVTs taking it way ahead of competition.
Talking about Mahabharat’s grand opening, Star Plus, senior vice-president, marketing, Nikhil Madhok exults: “We are extremely happy with the grand welcome it has received. There is very encouraging positive feedback pouring in from all quarters. We are now looking at building further from here on.”
On the other hand, Bigg Boss seven too saw a healthy start scoring 7,711 TVTs on the grand premier that was held on 15 September, taking Colors score to 479,892 GVTs (463,869).
Sony Entertainment Television was the next highest gainer this week with 327,089 GVTs (292,852), occupying the number four position.
Zee TV too saw a rise this week and holds its number three spot with 413,707 GVTs (398,993). Life OK, the sister channel of Star Plus is at number five position with 313,138 GVTs (322,364). Sab takes a back seat at number six with 289,471 GVTs (312,053). Sahara One continues to be at the bottom scoring 26,495 GVTs (28,749).
All Star Plus’ shows witnessed a rise in the ratings this week. Its popular show Diya aur Baati Hum saw a massive rise in its ratings and rated 9,819 TVTs (8,803). Another prime time show, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai scored 6,587 TVTs (6,144). Pyar Ka Dard Hai reported 7,342 TVTs (6,930) and Saathiya registered 6,456 TVTs (6,002). New epic series Mahabharat witnessed a good week with 6,356 TVTs.
Second placed, Color’s much hyped reality show Bigg Boss seven witnessed 5,080 TVTs this week. Long running fiction series Balika Vadhu saw a marginal rise and rated 6,551 TVTs (6,278), Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon scored 4,990 (4442) and Uttaran reported 4,140 TVTs (4,154). Comedy Nights with Kapil garnered 7,244 TVTs (7,215).
Zee TV’s fictional offering Qubool Hai saw a hike recording 6,340 TVTs (5,956). Pavitra Rishta generated 4,733 TVTs (4,280). Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke notched up and scored 5,035 TVTs (4,643). The channel’s historical show Jodha Akbar seems to attract audiences by its interesting track taking its tally to 8,025 TVTs (6,981). Drama series Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se registered 4,612 TVTs (5,047). Its new offering Buddha took its tally to 1,537 TVTs (1,450).
Fourth placed, Sony’s long running crime series CID witnessed a drop recording 5,070 TVTs (5,391) and Crime Petrol saw a high rise and rated 6,415 TVTs (3,739). The channel’s historical show Maharana Pratap generated 3,266 TVTs (3,151). KBC notched up taking its score to 6,134 TVTs (5,925). Comedy Circus garnered 3,092 TVTs (3,409). Other fiction shows either held on to their viewership or dipped marginally during the week.
Fifth placed, Life OK’s top series Mahadev has propped up this week as it scored 3,588 TVTs (2,585). Do Dil Ek Jaan stood at 1,801 TVTs (1,666), Savdhan India rated 2,300 TVTs (2,734), whereas Shapath generated 3,988 TVTs (3,410).
Sixth placed, Sab’s fiction show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah continues to be the channel leader with 7,276 TVTs (6,816). Chidiya Ghar saw a downfall as it rated 3,045 TVTs (3,430). Lapataganj reported 2,066 TVTs (2,347). Baalveer registered 2,605 TVTs (2,057). Other fictional shows witnessed marginal rise and fall as well.
In the movie channel genre, Zee Cinema reported 187,397 GVTs (191,359); Star Gold witnessed a slight fall to 177,380 GVTs (182,350) and Movies OK rated 96,047 GVTs (100,401). On the other hand, new entrant &pictures garnered 67,480 GVTs (67,774). Max saw a healthy rise when it scored 210,021 GVTs (192,416).
Well, it seems the GECs are having a roller coaster ride. Let’s see what’s in store for the channels in the coming weeks.
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.
