News Broadcasting
STAR Plus’s most popular show returns Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon – Ek Baar Phir
Mumbai, August 20th, 2013: Star Plus, a brand whose philosophy embodies new, fresh and dynamism, brings back its iconic narration and one of the most popular shows – Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon for the viewers.The new edition titled Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon – Ek Baar Phir (IPKKND-EBP)is a riveting story of two contrasting personalities – an anti-hero in Shlok Agnihotri (played by Avinash Sachdev) and ‘the girl next door’ in Astha Kirloskar (played by Shrenu Parekh). Both Shlok and Astha are entwined in a relationship that sways between love & hate, creating mayhem every time their paths cross. But what happens if destiny overtakes them and plans their life together? Watch this unique love-hate story unfold as the shrewd Shlok finds his equal match… time will tell whether love blossoms or swords are drawn. Starting 26th, stay tuned to Iss Pyaar Ko Main Kya Naam Doon? Monday to Fridayat 6.00 pm only Star Plus.
Set in Pune, the story of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon – Ek Baar Phir revolves around Shlok, a dynamic, handsome and an astute businessman and Astha a fun-loving, lively girl. If Shlok is a complete chauvinist and believes that women’s role should be confined to taking care of the home and family. Astha is a complete contrast to his stark personality; she believes in equality for both men and women and has a very progressive outlook to life. For Shlok it’s all about succeeding and being on top of the game and for Astha she would loves to spread happiness and cheers in the world. What happens when two strong and opposing personalities’ ends meet? For Shlok, Astha’s every entry into his space only calls for trouble making situations worse leading to a love-hate drama between the two and several dramatic twists unraveling the unknown.
Talking about the show, Avinash Sachdev said, “I have always played a character of a sweet, loving boy and this is the first time that I will be playing an anti-hero on the small screen. While I was looking forward to such a role I was thrilled that it came to me so soon. I have done my bit of homework and now getting prepared to wow my fan and viewers with this unique love-hate story.”
Shrenu Parikh adds, “I am really lucky that I am back to the channel where I started my career. I am portraying Aastha’s character who is today’s girl, with full of life. Iss Pyaar Ko Main Kya Naam Doon Ek Baar Phir is her tryst with this arrogant boy Shlok which eventually turns out to be an interesting tug of war with their love -hate relationship.”
Produced by Sphere Origin, the show also brings together an ensemble cast that includes Manish Wadhwa, Geetanjali Tikekar, Tushar Dalvi and Prachi Shah amongst others.
Don’t miss Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon – Ek Baar Phir starting August 26th,
Monday to Friday at 6.00 pm only on STAR Plus
News Broadcasting
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.
