GECs
Star Plus rolls out extensive marketing campaign for ‘Sumit Sambhal Lega’
MUMBAI: Taking a diversion from the age old Hindi phrase – ‘Mard ko dard nahi hota’ (men don’t feel pain), Star Plus has come up with a unique marketing campaign for its new show Sumit Sambhal Lega with the catchphrase ‘Har Mard Ka Dard,’ which signifies the plight of every married man.
As part of a marketing campaign for Sumit Sambhal Lega, which is the official adaptation of Everybody Loves Raymond, Star Plus has devised an innovative and strategic 360 degree marketing campaign based on an insight on the catch phrase.
Every piece of communication was aligned to this thought, starting with the on-air campaign that talked about the concept of the show and laid the entire foundation of the campaign. The initial promo was followed by a series of dedicated promos tailor-made for news and sports channels. Furthermore, existing male protagonists of Star Plus’ shows like Yeh Hai Mohabbatein and Ye Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai were roped in for integrated content that also talked about ‘Har Mard Ka Dard’ to establish a connect with the masses.
On the radio front, existing properties were integrated with the concept of ‘Har Mard Ka Dard’ to drive home the message. What’s more, the cast was also featured on top radio channels across seven cities. For the first time, on the launch day, a complete radio station takeover was witnessed with male RJs taking centre stage for one entire day. In addition, an unique on-ground consumer activation was conducted in Delhi where the listeners of Red FM were invited for a t?te-?-t?te with the protagonist Sumit.
Continuing its streak of firsts, Star Plus also created co-branded content on the digital platform with ‘Being Indian’ that gave the viewers a peek into the married man’s world. In addition, a platform called ‘Dard Anonymous’ was designed for men to come and confess real life anecdotes of different situations they have faced with their families after marriage. The show’s characters also came alive in an interactive YouTube masthead that was created in a way that let the viewers choose between the mother and wife on behalf of the protagonist Sumit – both leading him to get an earful from the other. Instagram too was flooded with unique comic strips that was designed with the characters of Sumit Sambhal Lega in funny situations with witty one-liners and speech bubbles.
An extensive outdoor marketing strategy was rolled out with dynamic hoardings strategically plastered across Mumbai.
Star Plus also roped in PVR Cinemas for integration with Sumit Sambhal Lega that included lenticular image standees of Sumit being boxed by his wife and then his mother in turn. There was also extensive F&B branding of the show on the menus, popcorn tubs and even the nomenclature of combo meals that were recreated with Sumit Sambhal Lega.
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.
