GECs
ZEE Biskope is bringing back International Bhojpuri Film Awards after three years
Mumbai: ZEE Biskope – a channel that hosts Bhojpuri’s blockbusters, has bought the biggest-ever event in Bhojpuri – International Bhojpuri Film Awards 2023. The property conceived by Yashi Films will be returning with its sixth edition after a gap of three years and this time only on a channel that best fits its scale – ZEE Biskope. The channel launches the event with a promise to compensate for the gap of three years by tripling the entertainment & grandeur at every level. The splendour of the event will be rising three notches higher with it being held in one of the world’s most celebrated cities – Dubai. The grandeur doesn’t end here. The event will be hosted in Coca Cola Arena – a stage that’s three times bigger than the last and one of the largest multipurpose indoor arenas in the United Arab Emirates. Planned to go on floor on 15 March, the event will mark a star-studded night that will witness the confluence of the entire Bhojiwood fraternity along with some of the big names from Bollywood. It will be a rewarding journey of acknowledging & felicitating the best talents in Bhojiwood across multiple award categories. The magnificence of the event is a testimony to the pride that Bhojpuri exuberates for its vibrant entertainment industry. In the truest sense the event will live up to its promise of “Bhojpuriya Jhumade Pura Burj Khalifa”.
The gala award ceremony will be graced by actor-dancer Govinda whose dreamy charm and stunning performance is sure to take the audience on a joyride. Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez will also perform in the ceremony. For the first time ever, the event will be hosted by three anchors – Sugandha Mishra, Sanket Bhosale & Paritosh Tripathi. The 3X narrative will continue with Bhojiwood’s three actors Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua, Pawan Singh & Pradeep Pandey Chintu and top three actresses Amrapali Dubey, Kajal Raghwani & Smriti Sinha showcasing thier performances. Not just that. In a never seen before feat, the awards will not be given to movies of just one year but three years compensating the gap. The attraction will only get three times more when actors Manoj Tewari & Ravi Kishan will adorn the stage at Bhojpuri’s biggest starry event. Audiences would be thrilled with the stellar presence of Bhojiwood’s youth stars Yash Kumar, Arvind Akela Kallu, Parvesh Lal Yadav & Ritesh Pandey. The actress of the industry – Harshika Punecha, Subhi Sharma, Neelam Giri & Anara Gupta are sure to charm the viewers with their fascinating aura. The channel plans to telecast a three offering around the show starting with a Curtain Raiser followed by a Red Carpet and then the Main Event. The telecast date is planned in the last week of March itself. It is sure to set a new benchmark in Bhojiwood’s history and viewer experience.
Viewers of ZEE Biskope will also get a rare opportunity of voting for their favourites as part of the Biskope Fan Awards in three of the biggest categories – Best Actor, Best Actress & Best Film categories. All that they need to do is give a missed call on the respective numbers. This would be followed by an IVR call back where they can vote for their favourite nominees. This endevour is to ensure that the content is not just passively served to the viewers but they are actively engaged to be a part of this journey.
Speaking about this unique initiative, ZEEL chief cluster office – east Samrat Ghosh stated, “ZEE Biskope continues to charm and mesmerize audiences across age groups, gender and socio economic class through its unique movie & movie plus offerings. After a small hiatus, ZEE Biskope is coming back with IBFA which promises to take viewers to a magical universe of Bhojpuri films and Bhojpuri superstars. The initial response has been encouraging and we are seeing participation from some of the bigger brands. We will continue to win the hearts of consumers through the curated properties complementing our brand philosophy of ‘Aathon Pahariya Loota Lahariya’.”
Adding to this ZEEL chief channel officer, Bhojpuri cluster Amarpreet Singh Saini said, “ZEE Biskope always stands true to its promise of offering movie plus content and IBFA is a golden addition. Induced by the pandemic, viewers have missed this event for three years. Hence, to compensate for that gap, ZEE Biskope has curated this event with entertainment pulled up 3X higher at every level of the show. We also have extensive Marketing support planned for this event which would cover the TV, Digital, Radio & Print medium. With so much in the offering we are confident to get 3X love from Bhojpuri viewers this season.”
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.
