GECs
Stand up comic Tushar Singh to produce and host ‘Peacock Comedy’
MUMBAI: Stand up comedy in India is going through an amazing revolution. In 2009 there were only a handful of active comedians in the country with only a couple places to perform. Since then there has been a boom in the number of comedians, venues and audience members. Now for the first time Rooftop Comedy in association with Audible.com is producing the first live audio comedy album to be released for an International audience, tapping into the top comedians India has to offer.
Producing and hosting these shows is Tushar Singh, a stand up comedian, host and producer from Los Angeles, CA who has recently moved to Mumbai to be part of the scene. Since starting in New York in 2005, he has performed at various clubs, colleges, festivals and private shows across the country.
Upon moving to Los Angeles in 2012, Tushar co-created Unnecessary Evil, a weekly stand up comedy showcase at the Westside Comedy Theatre in Santa Monica. In May of 2015 he was featured on the Fox television show Laughs with a performance at the Hollywood Laugh Factory. He is also the subject of feature length documentary called American Hasi that explores the emerging stand up comedy scene in India. The movie is set to release in 2016.
Here is a blurb about the show.
Rooftop presents Peacock Comedy, a live album recording to showcase the top comedy talent in India – performing in English for an international audience. Join for two very special nights in Mumbai’s famed Canvas Laugh Club to be part of this unique and hilarious stand-up comedy event hosted by Tushar Singh. Limited seating available for the 10:30 pm shows on Friday, 25 March and Saturday, 26 March.
Lineups:
Friday, March 25:
Abish Mathew Live, Addy Mitzy, Ashish Dash, Aamer Peeran, Sanjay Manaktala, Azeem Banatwalla, Kan Surka, Anuvab Pal!
Tickets: https://in.bookmyshow.com/mumbai/events/peacock-comedy-25th-march/ET00039579
Saturday, March 26:
Kanan Gill, Kunal Rao, Sundeep Rao, Karunesh ‘C’ Talwar, Rohan Danger Desai, Kunal Kamra!
Tickets: https://in.bookmyshow.com/mumbai/events/peacock-comedy-26th-march/ET00039582
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
