GECs
Zee Biskope leads in Bhojpuri market for second consecutive week
MUMBAI: Zee Biskope, a 24-hour dedicated Bhojpuri movie channel primarily for the Bihar, Jharkhand & East UP markets, has ranked as the No. 1 Bhojpuri Channel in the country for the second consecutive week since its launch. The channel has strengthened its position as the market leader in the category with GRP of 148 (BARC; Bihar Jharkhand; U+R; 2+; Wk 04’20). With an impression of 58355 (BARC; Uttar Pradesh; U+R; 2+; Wk 04’20; Impressions’000), Zee Biskope has topped the chart in Uttar Pradesh as well. ZEEL now enjoys about 45 per cent of market share in the Bhojpuri category with Zee Biskope and BIG Ganga taken together.
ZEE BISKOPE which was launched recently aims to be the ultimate destination of authentic Bhojpuri entertainment. The channel is available on DD Free Dish (channel no 31), Dish TV (channel no 1555), Siti Cable (channel no 214) and Darsh Digital (channel no 189). It’ll soon be available on all other major cable and DTH platforms.
Speaking on the achievement Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) cluster head Samrat Ghosh said, “Zee Biskope opening as the market leader is a rare feat by any channel in the recent history. The numbers not only strengthened ZEEL’s market share but also went on to prove the power that Bhojpuri category recons at HSM level primarily due to viewership from migrated population. It’s a market with huge potential and with our new offering, we are all set to keep this momentum going while reaching out the best of Bhojpuri entertainment to our audience.”
Zee Biskope and Big Ganga business head Amarpreet Singh Saini said, “This achievement has been a result of building every element of the brand meticulously. As a first, Zee Biskope has associated with the top three superstars of Bhojiwood – Nirahua, Pawan Singh and Khesari Lal Yadav as brand ambassadors. The channel’s library boasts over 300+ blockbuster titles with the best of latest WTPs lined up every weekend to keep viewers excited throughout. Be it the slot names curated in Bhojpuri style, the brand song exuberating regional essence or the mega launch event in Patna with our brand ambassadors, we have strategically crafted Zee Biskope’s launch with big plans. Adding to the galore, we would soon launch the industry’s first ever digital mascots – Bhaiya ji and Gamcha ji and have digital wall paintings across the region to reach out to the masses. The brand is loaded with ammunitions in its kitty to keep up the leadership.”
The brand signifies a space which enables viewers to rejoice their Bhojpuriyat at their unabashed best. Touted as the go-to destination for Bhojpuri movies; Zee Biskope offers a slew of robust content spread across an array of genres highly popular amongst Bhojpuri audience, such as romance, drama, action and comedy. With a strong library, Zee Biskope boasts biggest blockbuster movies of last 5 years and the biggest hits of the top 3 superstars of Bhojiwood – Nirahua, Pawan and Khesari. The channel’s library enjoys movies across eras – region’s legends (Manoj Tiwari, Ravi Kishan), current superstars (Nirahua, Pawan & Khesari) and upcoming favourites (Chintu Pandey and Yash Mishra). With chartbuster movies, exclusive titles, movie-based programming throughout the day the channel is geared up to aggressively deliver its core proposition “Aathon Pahariya Loota Lahariya” (enjoy Bhojpuri entertainment throughout the day).
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.
