GECs
What’s in store for Life OK in the coming months?
MUMBAI: It was in late 2011 when viewers were introduced to one more general entrainment channel (GEC) and who had thought that in a short span of three years, Star Network’s Life OK would challenge the established ones.
After climbing to the third spot in the TAM TV ratings chart and staying there for long now, the channel has proved its might. It created a niche for itself because of its path breaking content like ‘Saubhagyavati Bhava’, ‘Savdhaan India’ and ‘Devon Ke Dev…Mahadev’.
The man behind the success, the channel’s general manager Ajit Thakur is a humble man who believes in delivering results rather than talking about it.
Thakur who took the path less taken, in an earlier interview to indiantelevision.com, had said that before 2014 ends the channel will have new offerings for its viewers.
And keeping to his words of giving viewers a never-before-seen experience, the channel has announced its newest property. A dance reality show, ‘Dance to Dance’ will see Akshay Kumar mentoring the contestants as well as hosting it.
Thakur had earlier said in a statement expressed that he has no aversions in doing what other channels are already doing, be it dancing, singing or saas-bahu soaps, but his focus will be on how to do it differently.
The reality programme will see the dancers perform in challenging venues rather than on a stage or a set. One would dance on a narrow wall or even under water. Kumar will first demonstrate the format to each contestant in the dance format with a commitment of a ‘first of its kind’ show.
Produced by SOL Productions, it is open to trained dancers from across the globe rather than just celebrities. Thakur informed that around 30 per cent of the budget of the series will be spent on marketing. Since, there will be several foreign participants, apart from advertising on channels, newspaper, hoardings and radio announcements, social media will be used heavily to reach the viewers overseas.
Apart from this, there are two more new fiction shows that will grace the small screen, soon. The channel is open to work with new producers and agencies and take the channel to the next level.
It has already joined hands with Rajshri Productions, Balaji Telefilms and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah. Sources close to the development reveal that all the shows are currently at the planning stage and will have clarity in the next two months.
“The series will be on-air post Diwali,” adds the source.
Thakur intends to maintain the momentum by continuing with non-traditional content on the channel. Ekta Kapoor’s programme tentatively titled – Bade Dhoke Hai Is Raah Mein Pyaar Ke marks the fiction debut of Sonali Bendre on television.
Reported to be a story with a political backdrop, Bendre is supposed to play the protagonist, who will be forced to develop a career of her own after her husband would get caught in charges of corruption.
Talking about the channel’s second upcoming property, Shah needs no introduction. The man who started off his career with the soap opera Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka has given the industry many successful movies in Aankhen, Namastey London, Singh Is Kingg, and many more. After the success of the game-changer show 24 on Colors, Shah’s show is touted to be another big success story.
Tentatively titled Force, it will be an action-thriller series. It has also roped former Roadie Rannvijay Singh as the lead.
Last but not the least, Rajshri Productions, which currently has ‘Pyaar Ka Dard Hai…’ on Star Plus, is set to narrate one more love story but in a different manner. The show that was tentatively titled Khel Khel Mein has got its final title in Mere Rang Mein Rangnewali.
The serial stating true to Rajshri’s taste will see a joint family with three generations staying together. The show is touted to be a complete family drama with a ‘slice of life’ story about young love.
“We have set a benchmark for new genres. We want to find more new stories and that as time goes by, will become the next level for Life OK. We have always taken pride in working with new people, both inside Life OK and the people we work with outside, our producers and agencies,” Thakur had said in an earlier statement.
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.
