GECs
Zee Lamhe is the third most viewed Asian Channel in UK
MUMBAI: Lamhe proves its popularity as it comes in as third most viewed Asian channel in the UK in the latest round of BARB ratings.
The channel that was launched in the UK market in the mid-2013 has made its own place among viewers with its unique offerings. And the recent BARB rating just affirms that. Lamhe beat many other longer standing channels and programmes and even boasted the top most viewed slots across various times of the day amongst all channels.
The channel reaches an audience of over half a million each week, showcasing only the best of South-Asian entertainment, free, with classic Dramas, Bollywood Classics, lifestyle, travel, cookery and more. This offering is popular across a broad range of the audiences, with many of its slots topping amongst a young audience aged 16-34 years. The channel’s top show on 6 Jan was Astitva, attracting almost 50,000 viewers per minute at prime time 9:30pm, with over 25 per cent of these viewers being from the young age band.
Free-To-Air Channels business head Archana Kanade said in a release: “Lamhe has been successful in offering to today’s audience a viewing experience that they do not find elsewhere. For Lamhe to consistently come out top at certain time slots week on week is a tough feat in today’s saturated TV market. Many channels today have one-off properties that help them to gather their audience numbers, whereas Lamhe’s schedule draws in viewers throughout the day and across various shows.”
The line-up of the month includes critically-acclaimed shows including Amanat, Hasratein and Malgudi Days as well as classics celebrating the all-time sizzling actresses of Bollywood – such as Babita, Madhuri Dixit, Dimple Kapadia, Sridevi – on weekend movies at 7:30pm. Viewers can also watch out for new additions to the channel.
Lamhe is free to enjoy on Sky 798 and is also available on Virgin Media 811. It has also recently launched on Freeview channel 53 in the Manchester region.
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.
