MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms has rolled out Hoonur, a dedicated talent management arm under its digital division, sharpening its push to build an integrated entertainment ecosystem spanning content, platforms and artists.

The new vertical is aimed at structured career development in an industry increasingly driven by digital reach, brand partnerships and multi-platform visibility. Hoonur will focus on long-term representation, strategic positioning and audience engagement for talent across broadcast and streaming formats.

The initiative will be led by Mohammed Nagman Lateef, a talent strategist with more than 11 years of experience, who earlier founded Iconic Entertainment. His appointment signals a more organised, forward-looking approach to artist management within the Balaji Telefilms fold.

Balaji Telefilms joint managing director Ekta Kapoor, said, “At Balaji, we have always believed that every artist deserves the right environment to grow. Talent thrives when it is supported by a platform that understands its individuality and long-term potential. With Hoonur, we are creating a curated space where artists receive focused attention, strategic guidance, and opportunities that are aligned with who they are and where they can go. It’s about shaping meaningful journeys, not just managing assignments.”

Hoonur has already signed a diverse roster of television and digital stars, including Madalsa Sharma, Sahil Uppal, Rohit Chandel, Simba Nagpal, Tejasswi Prakash and Shubhangi Atre.

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Several of its artists: Urvashi Dholakia, Ridhi Dogra, Shiv Thakre and Shiny Doshi, also feature in The 50, one of India’s most anticipated new reality television shows.

Balaji Telefilms chief revenue officer Nitin Burman, said the new vertical would enable closer collaboration between content, brands and platforms, placing talent at the centre of long-term partnerships and audience engagement strategies.

With Hoonur, Balaji Telefilms is doubling down on its integrated model, blending content creation, digital strategy and talent representation to shape the next generation of media stars.

MUMBAI: Warner Bros Discovery has elevated Agnieszka Veriga, widely known as Aga, to vice president, program management for Apac global experiences, placing her at the helm of the company’s fast-expanding experiences business across the region.

Based in Dubai and working closely with teams across Asia Pacific, Veriga will lead Warner Bros Discovery’s portfolio of owned and licensed experiences. Her remit includes the Warner Bros Studio Tours in Tokyo and Shanghai, alongside shaping the company’s long-term growth strategy for experiences in Asia.

The appointment follows a landmark year in which Veriga worked closely with Sarah Roots to deliver the Harry Potter Studio Tour Shanghai project. Developed in partnership with Chinese hospitality major JingJiang, the project marked a major step in Warner Bros Discovery’s global experiences ambitions and stood out for its scale and complexity.

In her new role, Veriga will partner with Tony Qiu and the regional leadership team, focusing on strong programme delivery, clear governance and close collaboration across markets as the experiences portfolio continues to grow.

Veriga brings deep international experience to the position. Prior to joining Warner Bros Discovery, she served as director, strategic project management and business operations for Asia at Paramount, where she led major transformation initiatives and played a key role in launching Paramount Plus in South Korea and Japan. Her earlier career spans senior strategy and operations roles across Asia, Europe and the Middle East within the Discovery ecosystem and beyond.

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Sharing the news, Veriga said she was grateful for the trust and support she has received and excited about what lies ahead. With studio tours and immersive entertainment gaining traction across Asia, her expanded mandate signals Warner Bros Discovery’s intent to scale experiences with precision and pace.

MUMBAI: It is safe to say that UFO Moviez is currently identified as a high-flying object in the financial skies, proving that when it comes to the silver screen, they are far from being “eclipsed” by the competition. The digital cinema distribution powerhouse has beamed up a formidable set of financial results for the quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2025, leaving investors feeling like they’ve found the golden ticket in their popcorn tub.

The company’s consolidated net profit for the nine months ended December 2025 reached Rs 20.43 crore, up from Rs 10.27 crore during the same period the previous year, marking a 99 per cent increase. This growth was reflected in the quarterly performance, with the three months ending December 2025 delivering a net profit of Rs 7.52 crore, compared to Rs 15.29 crore in the prior year’s corresponding quarter.

Revenue from operations remained steady, with the consolidated nine-month figure at Rs 343.78 crore, up from Rs 329.37 crore in the previous year. For the quarter, total income from operations stood at Rs 131.88 crore, showing consistent performance in a competitive market.

The company’s growth is supported by strategic restructuring.

The big merger: UFO successfully completed the amalgamation of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Scrabble Digital Limited (SDL) and UFO Software Technologies Private Limited (USTPL), effective from 1 April 2024. This “pooling of interests” has streamlined operations and strengthened the standalone bottom line, with restated nine-month standalone profits rising to Rs 14.09 crore from Rs 10.76 crore.

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Asset liquidation: The company also exited its 48.12 per cent stake in Mukta V N Films Limited, earning a gain of Rs 0.40 crore.

Operational efficiency: Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) for the nine months stood at Rs 62.04 crore, compared to Rs 47.28 crore in the previous period, reflecting effective cost management.

The auditors at BSR & Co. LLP have given the results an “unmodified” opinion, confirming the accounts are accurate. Meanwhile, the company’s Employee Stock Option Scheme (ESOP 2014) remains active, with 12,225 options available for eligible staff.

As the credits roll on the 2025 calendar year, UFO Moviez India Limited remains a dominant force in the “Cine Media Network,” proving that even in the age of streaming, the big screen, and the big numbers, still hold plenty of magic.
 

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