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Tag: Balaji Telefilms

  • Nivedita Basu joins Dangal as vice president – fiction

    Nivedita Basu joins Dangal as vice president – fiction

    Mumbai: In a strategic move aimed at bolstering its creative portfolio, Dangal, a leading general entertainment channel (GEC) under the Enterr10 Television Network, has appointed Nivedita Basu as vice president – fiction (Hindi, Oriya, Bangla). With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Basu’s return to the GEC space is set to usher in a new era of innovation and content excellence for Dangal.

    Known for her stellar contributions at Balaji Telefilms, where she helmed iconic shows like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Basu brings an impressive repertoire of over 100 television shows. Her expertise in audience engagement, content creation, and production management positions her as a driving force in Dangal’s ambitious expansion plans across regional and national markets.

    Expressing her enthusiasm, Basu stated, “Joining Dangal is an exciting new chapter in my career. With its strong reputation and commitment to creating impactful content, I look forward to contributing to its continued success. Meeting Manish Singhal, whose visionary leadership has made Dangal the number one Hindi GEC channel, has further fueled my excitement. I am thrilled to collaborate with him and the talented team at Dangal, and I am eager to explore opportunities to expand the channel’s portfolio with innovative and engaging projects.”

    In her previous role as senior vice president (Content) at Atrangii, Ullu, and Hari Om App, Basu transformed brands into household names, turning them into profit-making entities. She also spearheaded the launch of India’s first devotional channel, Hari Om, marking a significant milestone in her career.

    Dangal’s reputation for delivering diverse, engaging programming is expected to benefit greatly from Basu’s industry acumen and creative vision. Her leadership will focus on overseeing ongoing projects, exploring growth opportunities, and shaping the strategic direction of the channel’s fiction content.

  • Balaji Telefilms makes two senior management changes

    Balaji Telefilms makes two senior management changes

    MUMBAI: There were further changes at Balaji Telefilms over the weekend. The company redesignated  long running group CFO and COO  Sanjay Dwivedi as group CEO. He continues to hold the CFO portfolio as well. Then, Balaji Motion Pictures EVP distribution & syndication Vimal Doshi was promoted as the COO – motion pictures. 

    With 30 years of experience covering media, entertainment and FMCG, Sanjay joined the group in 2013 as the CFO of Balaji Telefilms, functioning as a member of the core management team.. He works closely with managing director, joint managing director and the board. During his journey with the group, he has led the fund-raising activities; obtained sanction from private banks for business initiatives; saved substantial amount in tax benefits through several initiatives, including clearing of old tax claims; and manages treasury corpus, in addition to other tasks as assigned from time-to-time.  

    Prior to joining Balaji, he held senior management positions at Nimbus Communications and Entertainment Network India Limited (Radio Mirchi, part of the Times Group). He earlier worked with GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (India) and Tata Steel in the finance functions.

    In his current role, Sanjay  will be responsible for the group’s overall growth and success, will lead the company’s operational strategies, and will continue to head the finance function. 

    As  COO – motion pictures, Vimal will be entrusted with the entire operations of the movie division for existing films, new film project development, marketing operations, distribution and syndication. As in his previous role, he will continue to head revenue for distribution and syndication of films.  

    Vimal has a total work experience in the film industry of about 26 years.. He joined Balaji in 2007 as assistant manager for theatrical distribution and has distributed several films since. In 2015, he  started heading all sales for films. He has done slate deals with major OTTs, music labels and buyers like Netflix, Tips, SaReGaMa and has scripted and maintained strategic partnership with media behemoth, Zee. In  the past three years, Vimal has also looked into various co-Productions and actively manages relationship with co-producers and talents. 

    Says Balaji Telefilms managing director  Shobha Kapoor:“I am delighted that Sanjay has been promoted as the CEO. His exceptional leadership track record, deep strategic expertise, profound experience in the M&E sector and overall understanding of our business makes him an excellent fit for leading the group as the CEO and setting higher standards.   We are also excited to elevate Vimal as the COO – motion pictures to lead our films division. With exciting movies in pipeline, his extensive experience and visionary approach will foster our growth in the entertainment industry. Sanjay and Vimal have been with Balaji Group for over decades and under their leadership and guidance, I am confident that Balaji will achieve new milestones and add value for all our stakeholders.”  

     

  • Balaji Telefilms hires Arha Media executive Nitin Burman

    Balaji Telefilms hires Arha Media executive Nitin Burman

    MUMBAI: It’s an aha moment for Nitin Burman. The senior executive has joined Balaji Telefilms as group chief revenue officer effective 11 November 2024. Nitin’s last posting was with Arha Media – which runs the OTT platform Aha. His position there: senior president & head – non-subscription revenue.

    With over 13 years of experience,  he was responsible for Arha’s revenue and creative brand solutions teams and generated revenues through brand solutions, brand studio, AVOD, syndication, You Tube channel and impact properties.

    Prior to that, Nitin worked in telecom and banking industries for almost a decade across multiple functions and geographies. Among the companies he worked for include Airtel and Jio. In the past, he has also worked with Radio Mirchi as director – impact properties and brand solutions for Maharashtra, where he was responsible for revenues in digital, TV properties, concerts, events and activations. 

    Nitin is an electronics engineer with a master’s in business administration from Dauphine University Paris and UBS Chandigarh, Punjab University.  
     

  • SPNI hires Nimisha Pandey for top programing job at Sony-SAB

    SPNI hires Nimisha Pandey for top programing job at Sony-SAB

    MUMBAI; It’s homecoming for television creative professional Nimisha Pandey. Market sources say that she is set to join Sony Entertainment Television’s profitable Sony SAB channel as its programming head.

    For those not in the know, Nimisha had joined Multiscreen Media (as Sony was known then) for two years as an executive producer between 2004-2006 at the start of her career after completing her course in direction from the Film & Television Institute of India in Pune.

    It may be recalled that the long-serving NP Singh had retired as Sony Pictures Network India CEO a couple of months ago; he was replaced by content star Gaurav Banerjee. Nimisha is one of GB’s (as he is known) first unconfirmed senior creative hires since taking over.

    Nimisha was last the chief content head, originals at Zee5 for almost four years. Prior to that she was director international originals for nearly two years at global streaming powerhouse Netflix’s India ops Before that she held the position of head of content at Alt Balaji for three years.

    She has  had year-long-project-led stints at various production houses right from Balaji Telefilms, 4 Lions Films, Fireworks, Directors Kut, Sphere Origin (for three years),  and Shreya Entertainment over the years.

    We tried to reach out to the normally effervescent and bubbly Nimisha but she was unavailable for comment. Neither was anyone from Sony; it, being a Sunday.

    With the buzz being extremely strong, Indiantelevision.com decided to go ahead and report her appointment.

    With 20 years’ varied experience under her belt producing and commissioning shows, Nimisha does seem like the right candidate for the job.
     

  • Shemaroo Umang and Balaji Telefilms team up for a riveting new show ‘Chaahenge Tumhe Itnaa’

    Shemaroo Umang and Balaji Telefilms team up for a riveting new show ‘Chaahenge Tumhe Itnaa’

    Mumbai: Shemaroo Umang, one of India’s Hindi General Entertainment Channel, and Balaji Telefilms, has proudly announced their collaboration for the highly anticipated new show, ‘Chaahenge Tumhe Itnaa.’ This marks the first-ever partnership between the two and promises to redefine television viewing experiences across the nation. The show is set to go on air starting 20 February, 2024 every Monday to Saturday at 9:00 PM.

    Crafted under the creative vision and expertise of Ektaa Kapoor, hailed as the queen of Indian Television, ‘Chaahenge Tumhe Itnaa’ delves into the intricacies of relationships and the unique bond shared between Aashi and her father-in-law, who serves as a guiding light and fatherly figure in her life. The narrative revolves around the life of Aashi, portrayed by Swati Sharma, who is married at a young age but loses her husband under unforeseen circumstances. Taken under the wing of her father-in-law, played by Abhay Bhargava, Aashi embarks on a journey of education and growth, where she meets Siddharth, played by Bharat Ahlawat. The show’s narrative beautifully illustrates Aashi’s selfless devotion to her family and her commitment to nurturing her relationships, even at the expense of her own desires.

    Shemaroo Entertainment COO (Broadcasting Business) Sandeep Gupta said, “We are delighted to join forces with Balaji Telefilms for our new show ‘Chaahenge Tumhe Itnaa’ as they are known for bringing refreshing stories. Family dramas have always resonated well with the audience, and both Shemaroo and Balaji Telefilms have a rich history of delivering content that people adore. Together, we aim to captivate hearts and inspire emotions through the power of television. Our new offering challenges the stereotype that the term ‘father-in-law’ is devoid of a paternal connection and brings a new angle to family bonds. Through this compelling narrative we aim to leave an indelible mark on viewers’ hearts and minds.”

    Speaking about the show, Kapoor said, “In each project, my goal is to share stories that connect with the audience. ‘Chaahenge Tumhe Itnaa’ holds a special place in my heart as it delves into the unique dynamics of a father-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship. In this show, we have showcased the father-in-law figure from a distinctive angle. The story narrates the tale of a father-in-law who steps into the role of a father, recognizing the potential in his daughter-in-law and going the extra mile to support her aspirations. As the audience embarks on Aashi’s journey, they will witness the depth of her character and the challenges she faces in prioritizing her loved ones amidst life’s complexities. Every character in the show has a strong role to play and I have no doubt that the audience will warmly accept this story which will be breaking societal norms.”

    Produced by Ektaa Kapoor under the banner of Balaji Telefilms, ‘Chaahenge Tumhe Itnaa’ is a captivating family drama that features a stellar cast, including Swati Sharma, Bharat Ahlawat, Abhay Bhargav, Khyati Keswani, Kishan Bhan, Sangeeta Adhikari, Aishwarya Aher, Kajal Chauhan, Veronica Talreja, among others portraying significant roles in the storyline

  • Experience Pracchand Ashok’s grandeur on COLORS

    Experience Pracchand Ashok’s grandeur on COLORS

    Mumbai: The greatest love stories are not without their trials, but what happens when fate writes a timeless saga that changes the course of history? Witness the colossal power of love as COLORS takes the audience back in time to the glory of the Mauryan and Kalinga dynasty with its magnum opus ‘Pracchand Ashok’. Making a stellar edition to its library of riveting love stories, the channel treats the viewers to the royal odyssey of Samrat Ashok and Princess Kaurwaki whose thirst for power and yearning for affection collide. After curating iconic franchises that were household favourites, COLORS and Balaji Telefilms unite to raise the bar of storytelling yet again with the historical romance that shaped destinies of empires. Starring actors Adnan Khan and Mallika Singh in the roles of Samrat Ashok and Princess Kaurwaki respectively and produced by Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms, ‘Pracchand Ashok’ premieres on 6 February, 2024 and airs every Monday – Friday at 10:00 pm only on COLORS.

    ‘Pracchand Ashok’ recounts the tale of Samrat Ashok and Princess Kaurwaki, two legends who are as different as day and night. While Kaurwaki dreams of a partner with a heart of gold, cherishing family values above all, Ashok is a relentless conqueror who thinks of family as a chink in one’s armour and unafraid to spill blood for power. However, deep within, he harbours a burning desire to create a legacy, earning respect for his mother, who’s been treated no less than a maid in the kingdom and securing a place for himself in his father’s heart. Kaurwaki seeks a noble companion while Ashok wants to be feared, craving dominion over everyone. Amidst conflicting ideals and aspirations begins a love story that alters the history of Bharatvarsh.

    Popular actor Adnan Khan said, “Getting the chance to essay the role of Samrat Ashok is like living out a childhood fantasy. Joining the COLORS family, especially with a grand show like Pracchand Ashok, is an incredible opportunity to connect with its massive set of viewers across the country. I’m grateful to COLORS and Balaji Telefilms who have trusted me to embody a legend, whose life spans from the conquest to compassion. I promise that this show will enliven the historical romance on Indian television screens.”

    On essaying the role of Princess Kaurwaki, Mallika Singh said, “Working with COLORS, a channel loved by many, and the incredible Ektaa R Kapoor is a dream come true. Princess Kaurwaki’s huge role in Samrat Ashok’s life and how she shaped history is a story that deserves to be told. I believe my calling as an actor through this show is to pay tribute to the legendary woman, who knew the power of love. I am beyond excited for my collaboration with COLORS and Balaji Telefilms and hoping that our hardwork pays off.”

    ‘Pracchand Ashok’ navigates the historical romance of Samrat Ashok and Princess Kaurwaki. Growing up with an unwavering belief in the potency of love, Kaurwaki stands in stark contrast to Ashok, who fosters hatred and animosity, oblivious to his destined path. She serves as a beacon of hope in his life. Additionally, a myriad of emotions intricately weaves Samrat Ashok’s journey. From his indelible connection with his father to his relentless pursuit of respect and justice for his mother, every emotion is explored with depth and nuance, further adding layers to the narrative. Joining the stellar cast are seasoned actors such as Rakshanda Khan as Helena, Chetan Hansraj as Bindusar, Surendra Pal as Chandragupta Maurya, Manoj Kolhatkar as Chanakya, Aarush Shrivastava as Sushim, Dinesh Mehta as Subhandhu, Ankit Bhatia as Bhadrak, Shalini Chandran as Dharma, Leena Balodi as Salukkhavati, Manish Khanna as Padmanabhan.

    Get ready for a historical love saga in ‘Pracchand Ashok’ premiering at 10:00 pm on the 6 February 2024 and airing every Monday to Friday only on COLORS.

  • 2023 International Emmy winners announced

    2023 International Emmy winners announced

    Mumbai: The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented Emmys to television creators and performers from nine countries at the 51st International Emmy Awards tonight in New York City. The Gala was attended by television professionals from around the world and hosted by actor & comedian Rhys Darby.

    The special Founders Emmy was presented to Jesse Armstrong, creator of the hit HBO show “Succession” by HBO and Max Content  chairman and CEO  Casey Bloys.

    The Directorate Award was presented to Balaji Telefilms co-founder Ektaa R. Kapoor by Dr. Deepak Chopra.

    “In a tumultuous time, television again proves to be a common denominator for people around the world.” said International Academy president & CEO Bruce L. Paisner. “The International Academy is proud to shine a global spotlight on these outstanding programs and performances.”

    In addition to the two special awards, 15 Emmy statues were presented by the International Academy during the evening.

    The 15 winning International Emmy programs and performances are: Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On (arts programming), Martin Freeman (best performance by an actor), Karla Souza (best performance by an actress), TIE Derry Girls – Season 3 and Vir Das: Landing (comedy), Mariupol: The People’s Story (documentary), The Empress (drama series), The Smeds and The Smoos (kids: animation), Built To Survive (kids: factual & entertainment), Heartbreak High (kids: live action), Harley & Katya (sports documentary), A Ponte – The Bridge Brasil (non-scripted entertainment), Des Gens Bien Ordinaires [A Very Ordinary World] (short-form series), Yargi (Telenovela) and La Caida [Dive] (TV Movie/Mini-Series).

    Complete winners’ information of programs from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Turkey, and the United Kingdom follows this release.

    There is a tie in the comedy category with Derry Girls – Season 3 and Vir Das: Landing both winning.

    Karla Souza accepted the Emmy for Best Performance by an Actress for her role as Olympic diver Mariel, in La Caida [Dive].

    Arts Programming

    Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On
    Eagle Vision / White Pine Pictures / Paquin Entertainment
    Canada
    Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry it On is a challenging account of this cultural and musical icon’s lifelong commitment to music, and sharing the truth. Buffy shares her own story from her early love of music to the activism she continues to this day.

    Best Performance by an Actor

    Martin Freeman in The Responder
    Dancing Ledge Productions
    United Kingdom
    Chris (Martin Freeman) drives a frontline response vehicle in his fragmented hometown of Liverpool. Night after night he faces crime, violence and addiction on the streets, whilst battling against personal demons that threaten to destabilize his work, his marriage and his mental health.

    Best Performance by an Actress

    Karla Souza in La Caída [Dive]
    Madam / Filmadora / Infinity Hill / Amazon
    Mexico
    Mariel started diving when she was eight years old. The pool is her life. She says she has water, not blood flowing through her veins. She has trained with Braulio her entire life and trusts him more than she trusts herself. He sees her like no one else can. He keeps his promises; she’s become a world renown Olympic diver. Mariel is the most recognised Mexican athlete of all time. Introverted, disciplined, and determined, Mariel has to choose between Olympic greatness, or healing her painful past.

    Comedy

    Derry Girls – Season 3
    Hat Trick Productions
    United Kingdom
    Lisa McGee’s sitcom about a group of working-class teenagers coming of age in the 90’s in Northern Ireland. While theres hope in the air that The Troubles may finally be over, the gang’s troubles are only just getting started as they get ever closer to adulthood.

    Vir Das: Landing
    Weirdass Comedy / Rotten Science / Netflix
    India
    Vir Das dives deep into his childhood in India, the perils of outrage and finding his footing in the world for his fourth Netflix stand-up special.

    Documentary

    Mariupol: The People’s Story
    Top Hat Productions / Hayloft Productions / BBC
    United Kingdom
    Told and mostly filmed by the people of Mariupol, this is the deeply personal account of the destruction of a Ukrainian city. This documentary is a story of war crimes and suffering but also one of startling courage, of the endurance of morality and love in the midst of war, and of undaunted spirit.

    Drama Series

    The Empress
    Sommerhaus Serien GmbH / Netflix
    Germany
    When rebellious Elisabeth falls for Emperor Franz and becomes his unlikely bride, she enters a world of tensions and intrigue at the Viennese court.

    Non-Scripted Entertainment

    A Ponte – The Bridge Brasil
    Warner Bros. Discovery / Endemol Shine Brasil
    Brazil
    12 participants isolated in the wilderness have 20 days to get to know each other and build a bridge that will take them to a treasure that awaits on the other side of a river. If they succeed, they will have to choose the winner.

    Short-Form Series

    Des Gens Bien Ordinaires [A Very Ordinary World]
    Magneto / Canal+
    France
    In a dystopian world where women hold the power, Romain, a sociology student, is attracted to the bright lights of porn film sets, which he sees as a path to emancipation. This story puts a twist on the porn industry to deliver a critique of our world.

    Sports Documentary

    Harley & Katya
    Stranger Than Fiction Films
    Australia
    A documentary about Indigenous Australian figure skater Harley Windsor and his young Russian pair skating partner Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya. This unlikely duo made history, but at what cost?

    Telenovela

    Yargi [Family Secrets]
    Ay Yapim
    Turkey
    Prosecutor Ilgaz has to find a highly competent attorney when his brother is accused of murder. He crosses paths with Ceylin, a limitless attorney. Things change when the victim turns out to be Ceylin’s sister. When the war between them turns into a passionate love, everything turns upside down.

    TV Movie/Mini-Series

    La Caída [Dive]
    Madam / Filmadora / Infinity Hill / Amazon
    Mexico
    Mariel (Karla Souza) is a veteran competitive diver who has one last chance at the Olympics. However, when a terrible truth surfaces, Mariel has to confront her biggest personal dilemma yet: is winning really her ultimate dream?

    Kids: Animation

    The Smeds and The Smoos
    Magic Light Pictures
    United Kingdom
    On a faraway planet, Janet and Bill meet in the Wurpular Wood and fall in love, but their families, the Smeds and the Smoos, cannot accept the match after generations of division. When the pair elope, the warring families must work together to find the young Smed and Smoo.

    Kids: Factual & Entertainment

    Built To Survive
    Butter Media / Breslin Media / Australian Broadcasting Corporation / Australian Children’s Television Foundation
    Australia
    Get up close to the world’s most unique creatures to reveal the ultimate survivors of Australia’s most extreme natural habitats. Join Phil Breslin in his quest to answer – who is Built to Survive?

    Kids: Live-Action

    Heartbreak High
    Fremantle / Newbe / Netflix
    Australia
    An incendiary mural exposes everyone’s secret hook-ups at Hartley High. Its author, Amerie, has to grapple with the messy fallouts as a total outcast.

  • Balaji’s consolidated six-month revenue nearly doubles to Rs 283 cr

    Balaji’s consolidated six-month revenue nearly doubles to Rs 283 cr

    Mumbai: Balaji Telefilms announced its financial results for the second quarter and six months ended 30 September 2022. Balaji’s consolidated six-month revenue was Rs 283 crore versus Rs 142 crore in the same period in the previous fiscal. The group’s Ebitda loss was Rs 35 crore versus Rs 69 crore in the first half of the previous fiscal.

    During the three months of this quarter, it had a pipeline of eight shows on air across four leading broadcasters. In Q2 FY23, the TV business produced 275 hours of content, up from 189 hours in Q2 FY22. Two new shows across varied genres have been lined up and are currently under production. The business contributed to extremely healthy margins during H1 FY23 and will continue to be volume-led. The current quarter’s realisation of Rs 30.37 lakh per hour is nine per cent higher than the previous quarter’s. Balaji said that its shows have often been regarded as channel drivers for broadcasters as they have been consistently well received by audiences.

    AltBalaji’s direct subscription revenue stood at five crore rupees in Q2 FY23, and the business is expected to retain the momentum as per current run rates for the balance of the year considering a strong content library in place with 93 shows and 18 movies, which include multiple seasons of shows. Apharan 2 and Code M S2 were launched in Q1 and Q2 respectively and both shows have been well received. The company sold 6.1 lakh subscriptions (including 3.2 lakh renewals) during the six months ending 30 September 2022. This excludes subscribers on partner apps where the content continues to do well. The current engagement time is 53+ minutes, with a watch time of 16.4 billion minutes. Video views stand at 1.4 billion cumulatively to date.

    It had two theatrical releases in Q2 FY23. It said that its first release for the year, Ek Villain Returns starring John Abraham and Arjun Kapoor released on 29 July to positive reviews and garnered a strong box office collection. Its subsequent theatrical release, Dobaaraa starring Taapsee Pannu in August, received widespread critical acclaim on account of its niche concept. It also released Goodbye, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rashmika Mandanna, in October to positive reviews. It has three more movies lined up for release in FY23, wherein we have pre-locked revenue deals, thereby de-risking the movie business segment significantly. The pipeline includes Freddy, starring the nation’s current heartthrob Kartik Aryan, which has already been blocked for a direct-to-digital release starting 2 December on Disney+ Hotstar and also includes Kathal, starring Sanya Malhotra, which is also headed for a direct to digital release on Netflix.

    Balaji Telefilms MD Shobha Kapoor said, “Our TV business continues to perform well in terms of production hours, and we hope to improve this momentum as two new shows are added to our robust pipeline of eight shows that we currently have on air across channels and genres that will enable us to achieve volume growth. As always, we are confident that our content will strike a chord with audiences, as our storytelling is backed by strong creative capabilities, which drive our business growth and allow our brand to flourish in this domain. We are also extremely elated that, after a gap of almost two and a half years, we had our first theatrical release in July this year. Ek Villain Returns, headlined by a strong star cast, received positive audience reviews, which were also reflected in its box office collection.

    “Our subsequent theatrical release, Dobaaraa starring Taapsee Pannu garnered a great critical response and was trending at the number one spot on Netflix upon its release on OTT subsequently. It continued to dominate the OTT space by consistently featuring in the top ten category for multiple weeks, which demonstrates our strong content capabilities yet again. Additionally, we have a robust pipeline of three more movies to be released this year and are confident that these will exceed expectations and take our brand a notch higher. We continue to have strong controls on the cash spent while driving overall profitability, including some strong strategic content sharing deals that allow us to further our growth.”

    Operational And Financial Highlights:

    The TV business remained steady in the third quarter, with 275 hours of production across eight shows and a strong pipeline of two more shows currently in production. The business will continue to be volume-led; ALTBalaji’s total subscriptions sold in H1 FY23 were 6.1 lakh. In Q2 FY23, direct subscription revenues were five crore rupees.

    After a gap of more than two and a half years, it had its first theatrical release of the year in July. Ek Villain Returns was released. Dobaaraa, starring Taapsee Pannu and Goodbye starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rashmika Mandanna, were released on 19 August and 7 October respectively, and received widespread critical acclaim by audiences. Dobaaraa trended at the No. 1 spot, subsequently on Netflix, upon its release on OTT.

    The current pipeline includes three more projects. This includes Freddy starring Kartik Aryan, which has already been blocked for a direct-to-digital release starting 2 December on Disney+ Hotstar as well as Kathal starring Sanya Malhotra which is also headed for a direct to digital release on Netflix.

  • Balaji Telefilms reports revenue of Rs 118.8 crore for Q1 FY23

    Balaji Telefilms reports revenue of Rs 118.8 crore for Q1 FY23

    Mumbai: Balaji Telefilms earned a revenue of Rs 118.8 crore for Q1 FY23 of which ALTBalaji contributed Rs 36.8 crore through its direct subscription, which stood at Rs 6 crore in Q1 FY23, the company said in a statement.

    The group’s EBITDA loss is Rs 20.4 crore and the loss after tax is Rs 24.5 crore. 

    Balaji Telefilms Ltd managing director Shobha Kapoor said, “Our content has always resonated with audiences at large as it is deeply ingrained in India’s socio-cultural fabric and this quarter has been no different given that we have continued to provide content-driven and quality entertainment while simultaneously focusing on sustainable growth for our investors.”

    “We continue to have strong controls on the cash spend while driving overall profitability including some strong strategic content sharing deals which allows us to further our growth,” she added. 

    OTT-business

    ALTBalaji has 93+ shows live on its platform. ‘Lock Upp’ which was live streamed, gained enormous popularity and went on to become the most watched reality show in the OTT space, with 500+ million views. As a result, the company generated significant long-term IP because this format had never been seen in the Indian entertainment domain before. This quarter they released Apharan- Season two which garnered more than a million views within a short time.
    For the three months ending 30 June, the company sold 3.1 lakh subscriptions (including 1.62 renewals). This excludes subscribers on partner apps where the content continues to do well. 

    The company, in its release, said, “ALTBalaji continues to produce content-driven shows and we are confident that it will be regarded as one of the leading Indian OTT players shortly as we have a strong content library catering to classes and masses alike with consistent hit shows across genres.”

    The company continues its strategy to drive deeper audience engagement by creating quality and content-driven shows that are targeted at a mass audience seeking differentiated stories. Currently, the engagement time stands at 62+ mins, with watch time at 16.19 billion minutes. Video views stand at 1.37 billion cumulative to date.

    Some of our shows continue to be highly rated and popular amongst our audiences, especially the youth, and also include our immensely popular niche reality competition show (that was released last quarter). 

    TV Business

    In Q1 FY23, Balaji’s TV business continued at normal for three months with 246.5+ hours of production across 8 shows compared to 174.5 hours in Q1 FY22. Two more TV shows are lined up across genres for the next quarter. ‘Apnapan’ was launched in Q1 FY23 which generated a good audience response.

    Kapoor said, “As always, we are confident that our content will strike a chord with audiences as our storytelling is backed by strong creative capabilities which drive our business growth.”

    Movie business 

    In terms of movies, “Ek Villain Returns” starring John Abraham and Arjun Kapoor, was released on 29 July to positive reviews, earning 51 crore plus at the box office. 

    Kapoor said, “Considering that theatres are now operating at 100 percent capacity, we are confident that our movie business will be back on track given that we have six more movies up for release in FY23, out of which two films are ready to release stage, three films in post-production stage and one film under production. We have pre-locked exciting revenue deals on our movies slate, thereby de-risking our movie business segment.”

  • Abhishek Kumar joins Balaji Telefilms as Group CEO

    Abhishek Kumar joins Balaji Telefilms as Group CEO

    Mumbai: Balaji Telefilms on Wednesday announced the appointment of Abhishek Kumar as group chief executive officer.

    Kumar was ssociated with private equity fund Jupiter Capital, wherein he was working as the COO & general partner of the new funds of the group. Before Jupiter Capital, Kumar was running a venture capital network, at Rainforest Venture Network as managing partner. He was also an advisor and partner to multiple family offices for technology and consumer investments.

    Balaji Telefilms managing director Shobha Kapoor said, “We are pleased to have Abhishek as group CEO, and are confident that he is the right person to lead Balaji to the next stage of growth and value creation. He is a seasoned leader with a stellar leadership reputation. The Indian media sector is undergoing massive change which also creates enormous opportunities for us at Balaji, and Abhishek will lead the efforts with the rest of the team, to seize these opportunities and create value for all our stakeholders.”

    Balaji Telefilms group CEO Abhishek Kumar said, “I am of the view that content will continue to remain a key & exciting space irrespective of the platform and value is being attributed to creators of content. Hence, at Balaji, I believe that I can add significant value through my experience in business strategy, M&A, operations and investing in technology and media.”

    Kumar comes with a rich experience of over 20 years of experience in business strategy, M&A, operations and investing in technology and media. He has been associated with renowned brands like Rainforest Ventures, Snapdeal, TV18 Broadcast Limited, and NDTV.

    At Balaji, Kumar will be responsible for the overall growth and success of the group.