GECs
Ekta Kapoor says connected TV will revive women-centric stories in digital era
MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms founder Ekta Kapoor said the rise of connected TVs will finally bring women-centric, urban-mass storytelling back into the digital ecosystem after years of streaming platforms skewing heavily toward male audiences. She was speaking at a fireside chat with YouTube India director Gunjan Soni at the CII Big Picture Summit 2025.
Soni opened the session by introducing Kapoor as one of India’s most influential media figures, recalling her “unconventional and inspiring” career trajectory. Kapoor traced that journey back to age 16, when she first joined her father Jeetendra’s early production venture.
Her break in drama came only after years of struggle. Broadcasters repeatedly dismissed her as “too young” to handle primetime narratives, pushing her instead toward comedy. Her opportunity in drama arrived unexpectedly in the South, where veteran actor Rajinikanth endorsed her work.
Kapoor explained the emotional engine behind Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi came from observing the universal, often unspoken tensions between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. Society expects men to pass their legacy to sons naturally, she explained, while daughters-in-law are expected to uproot themselves, adopt a new family as their own, and navigate the baggage their mothers-in-law carry from their own experiences.
“What is natural is expected of men. What is unnatural is subjected to women as a societal norm,” she said. “It’s not that anyone is bad. It’s the unnatural expectations society places on women.”
Once she identified that “primary emotion,” the show found an enduring grip on Indian households. “Once you catch a primary emotion, you catch a home,” she said.
Kapoor offered a glimpse of the new Kyunki season, describing it as “a contemporary twist on a classic character.” She said Tulsi, now older and more evolved, will reflect the insecurities and humour that modern women navigate, from fitness anxieties to shifting family dynamics. In one scene, Tulsi steps on a scale, is shocked by the weight, and insists the scale isn’t working. “I do that very often,” Kapoor laughed.
Tulsi’s daughter, thinking she’s being helpful, points out that her blouse doesn’t fit. “We do it so often with our mothers,” Kapoor said. “Without realizing you’re somewhere feeding the insecurity of the other person.”
When asked how the shift from broadcast to digital is influencing storytelling, Kapoor said OTT platforms initially catered disproportionately to men because subscription-led models prioritised male viewing patterns. Advertising-led TV, by contrast, historically favoured female audiences.
“With connected TVs touching nearly 100 million homes, digital will finally have advertiser-led programming for the urban-mass woman again,” she said. That shift, she believes, will open doors for new genres, from midlife stories and workplace narratives to soft romances. “We call them Korean dramas now. I call them the Korean dramas that were Indian 10 years ago.”
She noted that digital has been “unfair to women” by neglecting female-centric content, while television has done the opposite for men. Connected TV, she said, offers a chance to correct that imbalance.
Kapoor spoke candidly about navigating a male-dominated entertainment industry, where “conversations happen on golf courses and dining tables you are not at.” Her response: build strong networks of women while remaining inclusive of men. “We need more women in leadership roles,” she said.
Her advice to women entering the industry was unequivocal: “There’s no seat at the table? Bring your own chair—or set up your own table.”
On risk-taking, Kapoor said her fearlessness came from failure. Early in her career, she followed conventional wisdom and created “one of the biggest flops ever.” The experience taught her to trust her instincts. “You need to make a decision and go ahead and do what you need to do. And then face the consequences,” she said. “There is no other way to be.”
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has appointed Aparna Ramachandran as EVP and head of network digital, signalling a sharper focus on strengthening its digital and streaming ecosystem.
Ramachandran joins Zee from Balaji Telefilms, where she served as head of digital originals, leading content strategy and production for the company’s digital platforms. She announced the move on LinkedIn, marking a new chapter in her career spanning more than 15 years across media, entertainment and technology.
Her professional journey includes senior roles at Viacom18 Media, Viu, FremantleMedia, Miditech, BigSynergy, BBC Worldwide, CNBC-TV18 and Bloomberg UTV. She began her career in 2005 as a software engineer at Infosys before transitioning into media and digital content leadership.
With experience across streaming media, broadcast television, content development, digital strategy, project management and video production, Ramachandran is expected to play a key role in shaping Zee’s network-wide digital growth and content innovation.
London: Zee Entertainment has launched its flagship Zee TV as a live FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, marking a first for South Asian television in Europe with round-the-clock live German subtitles.
The move takes Zee TV beyond its core diaspora audience and into the German-speaking mainstream, offering dramas, reality shows and family entertainment without subscriptions or language barriers. For FAST platforms, it sets a new benchmark in accessibility and scale.
Amit Goenka, president, international and digital businesses at Zee Entertainment, said the launch marked a turning point in the company’s global strategy.
“Zee TV Germany is a flagship launch and a defining moment in our journey to make entertainment truly borderless. By going live on Samsung TV Plus with 24/7 German subtitles, we are breaking language barriers and setting a new international benchmark for FAST streaming,” he said, adding that the partnership reflects Zee’s ambition to lead the FAST revolution through innovation and technology.
The rollout builds on the strong regional presence of Zee One and Zee5, both of which have cultivated loyal audiences across the DACH markets. The live FAST model now closes long-standing access gaps, particularly for younger diaspora viewers and first-time German-speaking audiences.
Samsung TV Plus said the partnership deepens its content portfolio in the region. Benedict Frey, country lead DACH and Benelux at Samsung TV Plus, said the addition strengthens its South Asian offering while widening appeal.
“Launching flagship Zee TV on Samsung TV Plus brings even more premium South Asian entertainment to our customers. Making this content available with live German subtitles is a meaningful step in serving diverse audiences and enriching the viewing experience,” he said.
Samsung TV Plus is Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming service, offering hundreds of live channels and on-demand titles across Samsung TVs, Galaxy devices and smart monitors.
Zee already commands a strong digital following across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with social platforms engaging hundreds of thousands of viewers. The live FAST launch is expected to amplify reach and drive appointment viewing at scale.
Zee TV is now available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus in Germany on channel 4210. With this launch, Zee TV Germany becomes the group’s ninth channel in Europe.
The signal is clear: FAST has gone mainstream—and Zee has arrived early, translated and ready to scale.
MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network has formally adopted a new corporate identity, rechristening itself Aqylon Nexus Limited after receiving clearance from the ministry of corporate affairs.
The company has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that the MCA has approved the change of name, with effect from January 23, 2026. The update was disclosed in compliance with Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.
Confirming the approval, the company said the ministry had cleared the transition from Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Limited to Aqylon Nexus Limited following the necessary regulatory process.
Aqylon Nexus said it has begun the formal exercise of replacing the old name across statutory filings and regulatory records. The broadcaster added that it is coordinating with relevant authorities and departments to complete the transition.
Under Section 12 of the Companies Act, 2013, the MCA has directed the company to continue displaying its former name alongside the new one for a period of two years.
Founded in 1994 and based in Mumbai, the company has been a long-standing presence in India’s television and content ecosystem. The rebrand reflects a repositioning effort as the media and entertainment sector undergoes rapid consolidation and structural change.
The legacy name remains on paper—for now. The business, however, is clearly turning the page.
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