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CNN-IBN ‘Being’ to feature Mohanlal on 20 May
It is said that acting is half shame and half glory. Shame at exhibiting yourself and glory at forgetting yourself. In 300 films, over the past 25 years, Mohanlal has forgotten himself in characters who have varied from the everyman to the superman. He has played the fool, the lover, the hero and the anti hero with equal ease and been feted for his effortless portrayal of characters with a Padmashri and two National Awards
And yet people outside of Kerala only know him as the tough as nails, sharp shooting cop, Srinivasan in Ram Gopal Varma’s Company. He defends his decision to stay within the confines of Malayalam cinema by saying, ” I have to be comfortable in the language if I am going to move out of Malayalam films.” But Company was “an irresistible role”. Mohanlal soaked in the ambience of the sets and refused to retreat to his trailor between shots. Instead he would memorise his lines, almost like a disciplined schoolboy. And yet, discipline is one characteristic that Mohanlal claims he never brings to his preparation for his roles. He says “I don’t prepare knowingly but unknowingly.”
The rare exception was his last National award winning role, in a film he produced himself about a Kathakali dancer living on the brink of illusion and reality called Vanaprastham, which also made it to the Cannes Official selection in 1999. He brought a tinge of method acting to this role by learning Kathakali, and he says, “Characters in films are dead people and actors breathe soul into them.”
To find out more about this effortless, talented actor tune into Being Mohanlal on CNN IBN at 8:30 pm on Saturday and 3:30 pm on Sunday .
BEING showcases all celebrities from various walks of life –Sports, Politics, Films, Art and Business, too. In this half hour programme,, CNN-IBN will get under their skin and walk in their shoes to taste what its really like BEING…..And whether its worth it. Keeping them company through the ups and downs of that trip is Anuradha SenGupta.
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Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
