GECs
Zee Entertainment undertakes national-level CSR drive for Covid2019 cause
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) announced a national-level CSR drive towards enhancing the country’s healthcare infrastructure, further strengthening its fight against Covid2019.
In line with its CSR Policy, approved by the board, the company will support state governments and local governing bodies with critical interventions across 10 cities viz Mumbai, Noida, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Chennai.
The company will be utilising the sanctioned CSR budget (for the fight against Covid2019) to provide the following:
· Ambulances – 200+ ambulances to be donated to the municipal corporations (46 ambulances have already been donated to BMC).
· Humidifiers – 50 high flow heated respiratory humidifiers to be donated to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
· PPE (personal protective equipment) Kits – 40,000+ kits to be donated to municipal corporations across the Nation.
· Portable ICUs – 100+ ICU units to be built with state-of-the-art tech support across the Nation.
· Daily meals – 600,000 meals to be provided to 10,000 migrants.
With the support of Maharashtra state government, the company has flagged off the national level CSR drive against Covid2019 with Mumbai, in the presence of chief minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, minister for tourism, environment and protocol Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray and ZEEL managing director and chief executive officer Punit Goenka, by donating 46 ambulances and 50 high flow heated respiratory humidifiers to BMC. This support will help build capacity and enhance the existing healthcare infrastructure in Mumbai.
The company will approach and work with all state governments and local governing bodies across the nation, to formulate an action plan that is structured on fulfilling the immediate requirements to fight the pandemic.
Over and above the support towards healthcare relief, ZEEL has also partnered with Akshaya Patra Foundation to provide 600,000 daily meals which will support 10,000 migrants across the Nation for a month.
Goenka said, “The effects of the Covid2019 pandemic in India has been far-reaching and calamitous for vulnerable communities. It is important that we stand up during such times and step up our efforts as responsible members of society. ZEEL is committed to continuing its strong support towards the government, with a key focus on strengthening the overall healthcare infrastructure, to save our nation from this pandemic. We are also significantly increasing our efforts on-ground to provide relief to migrants across the country. We will continue to do our best to serve the nation in these challenging times.”
Aaditya Thackeray said, “The scale of this pandemic is enormous, and the government of Maharashtra is working round the clock to enhance the modular medical facilities and support our frontline workers. Every step ahead is a successful step towards beating the current humanitarian crisis. We would like to thank Punit Goenka and ZEEL for their support in this time of need towards Covid2019 response and relief.”
BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal added, “We are dealing with challenging times where being ahead of the virus is key to fighting the war against Covid2019. We have implemented several path-breaking innovative measures across the city to curb the increase in the number of cases and are ramping up our medical facilities. We are glad to receive this support from ZEEL that will further strengthen our efforts while also ensuring the well-being of the citizens. It is humbling to see organisations such as ZEEL coming forward and fighting this crisis together with us.”
Earlier, ZEEL had announced financial support to over 5000 daily wage earners working directly or indirectly with the company. The company had also encouraged all its 3400+ employees to contribute towards PM CARES Fund. The amount generated was matched by ZEE, and the collective proceeds were routed to PM CARES Fund.
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.
