GECs
‘We don’t need to change anything drastically. All we have to do is perfect our existing properties’ : Shailesh Kapoor – Filmy business head
Filmy, the one and a half year old Hindi movie channel from the Sahara Group, has experimented with a varied mix of movies and shows to make a mark against established channels like Zee Cinema, Max and Star Gold. From spoofs to chat shows, Filmy is now set to foray into the reality genre with Bathroom Singer. To extend the Filmy brand even further, the channel has taken the acquisition route to bring the ‘Rajnikanth’ fever onto the channel.
Shailesh Kapoor who was recently promoted to the position of business head, speaks to Indiantelevision.com’s Richa Dubey in an exclusive chat revealing the channel’s growth chart and its plans for the future.
Excerpts:
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After the initial impact, is Filmy’s growth slowing down? |
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| But haven’t your GRPs dropped sharply? Though we had a slump in the period between April-June, our GRPs for the last three weeks have seen a rise. Tam expanded its coverage areas in January and older, popular channels have gained. |
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Is there pressure to modify your strategy?
Additionally, we have also acquired hits from the Southern region including a few Raknikanth starrer films. We have planned a special Rajnikanth Festival in August. |
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You also have shown Ganga. Are we going to see more Bhojpuri films?
Secondly, Kaun Banega Champu was taken off the channel for a seasonal break and there was nothing big at the time as we were planning our present and future shows. In this context, this gave us good visibility as Ganga was a good success.
If a film as big as Ganga comes, then we will acquire it. In fact post September we are planning to introduce a fortnightly slot for Bhojpuri films. But we are essentially a Bollywood channel and even in acquiring Bhojpuri films we have to be careful. |
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| Will this help in improving your channel share? Last week we had a relative share of 11. But most of our bigger properties are unfolding now. We have a slew of new films which will be telecast. We will have one premiere every month. And this, in turn, will help our distribution. |
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Has Filmy sorted out its distribution problems? |
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How are you planning to push your upcoming properties?
Our marketing efforts also depend on the property we are promoting. Guru was promoted at face value. All we did was highlight the fact that it is one of the biggest films of the year and the Aishwarya-Abhishek duo are in the movie. |
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Isn’t it more difficult when you are promoting a show like say Bathroom Singer which you are launching on 26 August? |
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With channels already cluttered by music talent hunt shows, why bring in the concept of Bathroom Singer?
In the first round of auditions, we received five times the crowd we expected. There was even an 80-year-old man who was selected for the second round. We got to see amazing talent from people who could sing in reverse, in multiple languages and in various voices. All this is possible because we are not looking for a trained voice. It is like a packaged deal. The originality of the content will come from its treatment. We have our fingers crossed and wish to get good results. |
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How do you slot programmes on the channel? |
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Can you identify the properties that have stood out for the channel and which were the underperformers?
As for shows that have done well for us, Kaun Banega Champu got us ratings. Lallan has been a successful character. Though Rokky was not popular initially, we gave it the right platform and this was supported by good creative content.
There were some things that didn’t work for us. Our short film festival didn’t do well because it was very niche. Lal Gulab and Ruchi Reporter also did not go down well, so we discontinued it. |
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What about Filmy Stock Exchange? |
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Have advertisers been difficult to get with low GRPs? |
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| How would you evaluate the last year in terms of return on investments? Our revenues have been increasing month after month. We have kept our costs under control. We, in fact, have reached a break even status and and hope to do even better in the second year. |
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.
