Cable TV
UTV readies four multi-genre shows on various channels
MUMBAI: UTV has always been known for its multi-genre programming – be it fiction or non-fiction. In the hot summer months of May and June, the production house has lined up four new shows on various channels.
The first one to launch is a drama – Kabhie To Nazar Milao, which will be aired on Sony from 15 May at 1 pm. This show will be a part of the new afternoon band – ‘Nayi Dophar’ – of Sony and revolves around a boy from Mumbai and a girl from Delhi. It will dwell on how destiny brings them together, only to separate them later.
The other show is a science quiz show called Chamatkar, which will be aired on DD on Sundays.” Chamatkar is a science quiz show that will be hosted by a well known anchor, whose name I cannot divulge at the moment. The quiz will be around simple science questions that we come across in our everyday lives. The questions will be as simple as — What happens when two stones are rubbed together?” informs UTV vice president television Monisha Singh.
After dabbling unsuccessfully in the reality genre some years back with the damp squib – Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai anchored by Madhuri Dixit, UTV is now geared up to launch yet another reality show. This time the hunt will be for kids. UTV’s kids’ channel Hungama TV recently roped in John Abraham as its brand ambassador and has also announced the John Aur Kaun talent hunt for kids.
This talent hunt will aspire to search for two kids – one boy and one girl – who will get the opportunity to star in a UTV produced movie starring John. The entire hunt will be televised and will be aired on Hungama TV later this year. UTV’s television division will be handling the production of this series.
“We will have professionals who are experienced in the reality genre working on this show. There will be workshops conducted for kids who qualify; there will be celebrity walk-ins and a whole lot of other features, which will all be televised,” Singh adds.
Yet another show Soni Mahivaal, which is a comedy, will be launched on DD next month. The show will have Varun Badola and Shewta Khawatra playing the lead roles. “Unlike the name, Soni Mahivaal is not a mythological show. It is a comedy that revolves around Mr Mahivaal (Badola) and his wife Soni (Khawatra) and the different comical situations they face in their married life. Their love and their constant fights over mundane things will be the highlight,” says Singh.
Apart from this, UTV’s Shanno Ki Shaadi that airs on Star Plus and was turned from a weekly to a bi-weekly will now be aired three times a week. The show has also been shifted from the 10.30 pm band to the 10 pm band. “We are very happy that Shanno Ki Shaadi will now start airing three times a week. Also, the fact that it has been shifted to the 10 pm slot will work for the show. Ba, Bahu Aur Baby, which used to air at 10 pm, has delivered some great numbers and we hope that our show also benefits from this slot,” concludes Singh.
With these shows in the pipeline, UTV will be adding four to five hours of new programming in a week across channels.
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
