GECs
Zee net expected to be in the region of Rs 2 billion
Hours ahead of an announcement by Zee Telefilms regarding its 2000-01 financial results, market analysts were cautiously optimistic about Zee’s expected performance for the year.
While Goldman Sachs, which recently subscribed to a private placement by Zee Telefilms at close to Rs 1,000 per share, predicts that Zee’s net profit would jump 25 per cent to Rs 2.07 billion, HSBC Securities & Capital Markets Ltd put the figure at Rs 1.8 billion. Regarding total revenues, Goldman expects a 17 per cent rise at Rs 9.3 billion while HSBC prediction is that it will be marginally lower at Rs 9.2 billion.
For the fourth quarter, Goldman sees Zee’s net rising to Rs 450 million (a 69.8 per cent rise) while HSBC predicts Q4 growth of Rs 400-410 million. Both Goldman and HSBC predict Q4 revenues to be Rs 2.5 billion, a decline of 2.6 per cent.
HSBC said the income decline was because of a drop in advertising revenues due to the depressed market conditions prevailing as well as a drop in overall market share by a few percentage points.
Zee Telefilms, once the undisputed TV ratings market leader, dropped to third place in mid-2000 following a good run of programmes from Star Plus, and its own botched efforts at responding to the Star offerings. It kept on losing marketshare and its losses in Q4 to Star and Sony were significant enough to translate into a drop in ad income over Q3, analysts point out.
Zee Telefilms has, however, been clawing its way back from April 2001 when it dropped a clutch of shows and introduced a rash of new ones. These have been finding cachet with TV viewers. But do not expect both Star and Sony to sit back watching Zee roar back once again. The battle has just begun.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
