Film Production
Q2-2016: B.A.G. FM Radio revenue, operating profit up
BENGALURU: B.A.G. Films and Media Limited (B.A.G. Films) FM Radio segment reported 25.9 per cent YoY operating revenue growth for the quarter ended 30 September, 2015 (Q2-2016, current quarter) at Rs 2.22 crore (8.9 per cent of Total Income from Operations or TIO) as compared to Rs 1.77 crore (5.1 per cent of TIO).
The FM Radio segment’s operating revenue in the current quarter also increased 40.8 per cent QoQ from Rs 1.58 crore (6.1 per cent of TIO). B.A.G. Films’ FM radio network Dhamaal 24 (106.4 FM), which was launched in 2005, operates 10 stations in India.
Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore
The FM Radio segment reported almost threefold (up 2.9 times) operating profit in the current quarter at Rs 0.73 crore as compared to the Rs 0.25 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter. The segment had reported an operating loss of Rs 0.24 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.
B.A.G. Films other major segment, Television Broadcasting (TV segment) reported two per cent YoY growth in segment revenue at Rs 21.66 crore (86.8 per cent of TIO) as compared to the Rs 21.22 crore (64.7 per cent of TIO) and a 4.7 per cent QoQ revenue growth from Rs 20.69 crore (79.7 per cent of Total Income from Operations or TIO).
B.A.G. Films TV segment reported 14.2 per cent YoY drop in operating profit at at Rs 5.07 crore as compared to the Rs 5.91 crore and a 37.3 per cent QoQ drop from Rs 8.08 crore.
B.A.G. Films TIO in the current quarter at Rs 24.94 crore dropped 23.9 per cent YoY as compared to the Rs 32.80 and dropped 3.9 per cent from Rs 25.96 crore in the immediate preceding quarter.
Let’s look at the other numbers reported by B.A.G. Films:
B.A.G. Films reported a higher loss of Rs 3.66 crore in the current quarter as compared to the Rs 2.93 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter and a loss of Rs 1 crore in Q1-2016.
The company’s simple EBIDTA calculated without including other income in the current quarter at Rs 3.93 crore (15.8 per cent margin) declined 9.3 per cent as compared to the Rs 4.34 crore (13.2 per cent margin) in Q2-2015 and was 35.1 per cent lower than the Rs 6.06 crore (23.3 per cent margin) in Q1-2016.
B.A.G. Films’ total expenditure in the current quarter at Rs 24.62 crore (98.7 per cent of TIO) was 23.7 per cent lower than the Rs 32.27 crore (98.4 per cent of TIO), but increased four per cent QoQ from Rs 23.67 crore (91.2 per cent of TIO).
Employee Cost in Q2-2016 at Rs 4.82 crore (19.3 per cent of TIO) increased 1.5 per cent YoY from Rs 4.75 crore (14.5 per cent of IO) and was 1.7 per cent more than Rs 4.74 crore (18.2 per cent of TIO) in Q1-2016.
Segment Numbers
The company has mentioned five segments in its financial results namely: Audio-Visual Production (AVP); Movies: Leasing; FM Radio; and Television Broadcasting. While the movies segment made no contribution to the company’s revenue or operating results in the current quarter, Q2-2015 or Q1-2016, FM Radio and TV Broadcasting segment numbers have already been mentioned above.
Audio Visual Production segment (AVP segment)
AVP segment reported a 78.3 per cent decline in revenue in Q2-2016 at Rs 1 crore as compared to the Rs 4.60 crore in Q2-2015 and 72.2 per cent decline from Rs 3.60 crore in Q1-2016. The segment reported an operating loss of Rs 0.66 crore in the current quarter as compared to an operating profit of Rs 1.98 crore in Q2-2015 and an operating profit of Rs 2.24 crore in Q1-2016.
Leasing segment (The numbers for this segment are mentioned in lakh – 100 lakh = 1 crore)
B.A.G. Films leasing segment reported revenue of just Rs 6.95 lakh in the current quarter as compared to the Rs 15.65 lakh in Q2-2015 and Rs 9.97 lakh in the preceding quarter. The segment reported an operating loss of Rs 82.63 lakh in Q2-2016 as compared to an operating loss of Rs 88.64 lakh in the corresponding year ago quarter and an operating loss of Rs 93.20 lakh in the immediate trailing quarter.
Film Production
Arka Mediaworks onboards 88 Pictures as animation studio partner on ‘The Eternal War – Part 1’
Arka Mediaworks announces that 88 Pictures, the acclaimed animation and visual storytelling studio known for its cutting-edge CGI and cinematic artistry, is on board as the animation partner for the highly anticipated Baahubali: The Eternal War, a groundbreaking two-part 3D animated feature film set in the globally beloved Baahubali universe.
Baahubali: The Eternal War represents a bold new chapter in the Baahubali saga envisioned for national and international audiences and crafted with the ambition of delivering one of India’s most ambitious and globally benchmarked animation projects to date.
88 Pictures will execute the animation production, bringing to life the film’s richly detailed worlds, epic battle sequences, and larger-than-life characters with its signature blend of artistic vision, performance-driven animation, and advanced production pipelines. Working closely with the film’s creative leadership and technical partners, the studio aims to set new benchmarks in animation quality, cinematic storytelling, and global scalability.
This animated epic follows the successful re-release of Baahubali: The Epic (the combined theatrical version of the original live-action films) on 31 October 2025 across India and the USA. During the film’s interval, legendary creator and director S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, RRR) stunned audiences with a surprise teaser for The Eternal War – Part 1. The video immediately went viral, garnering widespread national and international acclaim across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for its ambitious visual style and scale.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks and led by co-founder and CEO Shobu Yarlagadda – producer of the iconic Baahubali duology, The Eternal War brings together fantastic storytelling and cutting-edge animation.. The film is directed and written by acclaimed animation filmmaker Ishan Shukla (Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Star Wars: Visions – “The Bandits of Golak”) and screenplay by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Mihira Visual Labs, the studio co-founded by Yarlagadda anchors the film’s animation, visual development, and execution.
The partnership with 88 Pictures brings significant pedigree to the project; the studio is well-regarded for its work on high-profile international titles including DreamWorks’ series Trollhunters, the HBO Max original series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Disney’s animated short An Almost Christmas Story to name a few.
Yarlagadda shared, “We are happy to onboard 88 Pictures as the animation studio partner for our prestigious and most expensive animated film from India. We believe that their expertise and capabilities will allow us to produce a first-of-its-kind, world-class animated feature film from India.”
88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind D. Shinde said, “Baahubali changed the way cinema is perceived and became a defining milestone that turned the tide for Indian live-action filmmaking. Expanding the franchise into an entirely new universe—at a never-seen, never-done scale—through an animated feature created in India for a global audience is set to redefine how the world views Indian animation. We are truly thrilled to be part of this landmark project and to bring it to life under the visionary direction of Ishan Shukla, guided by the experience and leadership of acclaimed producer Shobu Yarlagadda.”
Shukla expressed, “Eternal War requires a level of visual and emotional precision that can only come from teams who truly understand both craft and intent. Working with 88 Pictures, alongside Mihira Visual Labs, has been a deeply collaborative experience. This association brings together technical excellence and creative sensitivity, enabling us to translate an ambitious vision into a compelling cinematic reality.”
Baahubali: The Eternal War – Part 1 is scheduled for release in 2027
