GECs
UTV gets nod for more foreign equity
MUMBAI: The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has given the green signal to United Television (UTV) , to increase its foreign equity in the company from 66.43 per cent to 68.15 per cent.
According to a report in The Financial Express , Century Direct Fund is purchasing 1.72 per cent stake in UTV Software Communications at Rs 12.5 million, thus increasing its total holding in the company to 2.5 per cent. .
The holding of the promoters after the acquisition of Western Outdoor and Century Direct Fund’s hike in stake will be around 35 per cent. Also CDPQ of Canada holds 33 per cent and Rupert -Murdoch -promoted News Corp 15 per cent stake in UTV, adds the report.
In a bid to expand its post production business , UTV had bought Western Outdoor in an all- stock deal , giving it a less than one per cent stake in exchange.
UTV’s future business plans include co-producing a $8 million budget movie called Partition with a Canadian producer, a Rs 200 million budget Hindi movie with Shahrukh Khan and another big budget Hindi movie, the report adds.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
