GECs
Star strategy: keep reinventing hit shows
MUMBAI: If the formula works do not mess with. That is the line that Star India is taking regarding programming strategies for this quarter. Sony Entertainment is planning a whole new line-up of shows come November; Zee TV has announced a programming strategy pivoted around new movie releases; but for Star Plus, the name of the game is reinvention.
According to Star Plus’ programming head Tarun Katial, there is very little scope for attempting new formats or shows at the moment because across most time bands, whether it be prime time, afternoons or Sunday mornings, the lead Hindi entertainment channel had established a clear dominance.
One slot that Katial did not include in the list though is weekend programming. This is worth nothing because according to the information issued by hit soap factory Balaji Telefilms, a big-budget one-hour weekend soap Kaalki is scheduled to be launched in November on the channel. On Kaalki, Katial says: “Discussions are in process but nothing has been finalised as yet.” Brings to mind motormouth Shekhar Suman’s talk show Simply Shekhar that India’s answer to Jay Leno had initially announced would be airing on Star Plus. When it finally launched though, it was on Zee TV.
Katial says the 
main focus for Star is to rework the storylines of shows on air rather than introduce any new stuff at least till the year is out. The new year would see some new launches, among them the two most high-profile being an Amitabh Bachchan hosted show and the Indian version of the smash hit Pop Idol. Katial clarifies that still a final call has to be made as to whether to introduce a new series of KBC or launch a new format show for Bachchan.
As for the immediate plans that Star has on the programming front, Katial says the plotlines of some of the top shows will see a big shift in course, with the central protagonists being swapped around.
Among the shows that will see plotline tweaks are the hour-long weekly dramas Kehta Hai Dil (airing Tuesdays at 9 pm), which will see changes in November, and Sanjivani (Wednesdays 9 pm), set to see a seismic shift in the plot by mid-October.
What is exciting Katial the most though is the ratings battle currently on between entertainment television’s
Number 2 and 3 shows – the daily soaps (both from theBalaji stable) Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kasauti Zindagi Kay. Kasauti might even surge ahead of Kahaani is his reading, and this climb has been due to the strengthening of the
storyline that Kasauti is witnessing, says he. Kahaani is also undergoing changes but nothing near as drastic as the 20-year leap that the ratings queen Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi witnessed recently, he avers.
On the gameshow front meanwhile, the successful karaoke show hosted by Sonu Nigam, Kismey Kitnaa Hai Dam, begins a new season from 10 October. The show, which has been loosely modelled on Night Fever that airs on Channel 5 in the UK, is about to see a change in format for the fresh series. This time round the show has taken strands from Furore, a popular Spanish gameshow that offers “musical comedy mayhem.”
Queried as to what Star was serving up on the movies front, Katial says the next new release that will air on the channel is the Bobby Deol, Akshay Kumar starrer Ajnabee. Asked as to how Star hoped to counter Zee’s reported plans to mop up the rights to all new movies, Katial is quite emphatic. “We’re not going to get into that game. That’s being reactive. We will continue to buy films the way we’ve been doing so far.”
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.
