GECs
Lila Poonawalla on Sony’s Fair & Lovely Shikhar
Mumbai 18th October: Tune into your television sets this Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on Sony Entertainment Television and watch Fair & Lovely Shikhar as hostess Pooja Ghai Rawal speaks to Lila Poonawalla- the founder of Lila Poonawalla Foundation.
This program is an initiative by Fair & Lovely, India’s largest skin cream brand. The serial aims to explore the inspiring stories of women achievers who have overcome all obstacles with their strong will and positive attitude and “changed their destinies”.
The founder of Lila Poonawalla Foundation (LPF), Lila Poonawalla has many firsts to her credit. She was the first female mechanical engineering student of Government College of Engineering, Pune. The first lady Managing Director of a reputed multinational company in India and also the first MD to bring Union leaders to write their communiqué in the annual report and with her desire to promote education among women she established the Lila Poonawalla Foundation(LPF) which provides deserving young girls with financial assistance for future Education.
Lila Poonawalla looks forward to making an enduring contribution towards cultivation of excellence in education.
Says Mr. Ashok Venkatramini, Vice President, Skin- Hindustan Lever Limited, “Fair & Lovely Shikhar is a salute to all the women who have, despite all odds, with their courage and determination achieved great heights, pursued their dreams to change their destinies. All the guests showcased in the serial are the face and spirit of Indian women. We want to, with Fair & Lovely Shikhar inspires the viewers to realize their dreams and ambitions and follow them to attain success”.
For more information on Shikhar visit www.fairandlovelyfoundation.com.
Speaking on show Mr. Tarun Katial, Executive Vice-President, Sony Entertainment Television said, “The channel has always brought the viewers’ attention through various initiatives on social issues of the society. The channel now presents a talk show, which will focus on the heart and soul of India – ‘Women’. Fair & Lovely Shikhar is a unique concept based on a real life scenario of women from various walks of life that will inspire our viewers. With Fair & Lovely Shikhar, we also aim to introduce the audience to Sunday afternoon viewing.”
About the Fair & Lovely Foundation
The Fair & Lovely Foundation is an initiative from Hindustan Lever Limited. The Foundation seeks to Empower Indian women to change their destinies through Education, Career Guidance and Skill training. Comprising of an advisory body of leading women and professionals, this foundation has undertaken various projects and initiatives in keeping with its vision of empowering women.
Visit www.fairandlovelyfoundation.com for more details on projects.
For further information contact:
IPAN
Devika Modak
devika.modak@ipan.com
About Sony Entertainment Television: Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India, India’s No. 2 general entertainment television channel, is backed by Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI). Its channels include Sony Entertainment Television, MAX, SAB TV, AXN and ANIMAX.
Launched in October 1995, Sony Entertainment Television is a Hindi general entertainment channel, focused at providing quality and innovative entertainment to viewers across India. Over the years, the channel has created significant marquee properties through an impressive line up of programs ranging from the light hearted to the supernatural, exploring various genres complimented by an explosive mix of glamorous events and Bollywood blockbusters. Known for its innovative concepts and exciting formats, Sony Entertainment Television has been providing strong platforms for over 700 brands to reach over 38 million households in India. In addition, Sony Entertainment Television is also available in US, UK, Africa, Middle East, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Sony Entertainment Television is a part the network of channels distributed by TheOneAlliance – a joint venture between SET India Pvt. Ltd. and Discovery Communications India. Other channels in TheOneAlliance network include MAX, Discovery, Discovery Travel & Living, SAB TV, MTV, Animal Planet, AXN, ANIMAX, NDTV 24X7, NDTV India, NDTV Profit, NICK and Ten Sports.
You can download our releases from http://www.setindia.com/press.htm. For further information on Sony Entertainment Television, please log onto http://www.setindia.com
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.
