DRESSED IN A BLUE POLO SHIRT, a smiling K. Madhavan takes his time before answering a question. The words are chosen carefully and one has to constantly look for those little nuggets. In the world of media and entertainment, he is one of the most low-profile individuals, though his business is anything but that. As Country Manager & President of Disney Star, he oversees a network of 73 channels across Hindi, English and regional. In terms of genres, it has sports, infotainment, kids, music and movies. The company (then owned by Rupert Murdoch) entered India in the early 1990s to serve an audience that had never seen satellite television. Its English content, for many years, did not strike the right chord here. After almost a decade of no success, it was all set to say goodbye before it gave it one last shot. A change of strategy to have more Hindi content led by Kaun Banega Crorepati with Amitabh Bachchan as host and a clutch of soap operas swung it in the most remarkable way. Today, it is the largest media and entertainment network with revenues of over ₹12,000 crore in FY21 (a pandemic-hit year) and a net profit of ₹1,395 crore.
This story is from the March 20, 2022 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 20, 2022 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
"Focus on the challenge of each customer"
SHASHANK KUMAR MD & CO-FOUNDER I RAZORPAY Razorpay is India's first full-stack financial solutions company
PEDAL ON THE FUTURE
THE MG WINDSOR EV, WITH ITS FUTURISTIC AND MINIMALIST DESIGN, COMBINES THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS-COMFORT AND TECHNOLOGY
BREATHE EASY
Whether you're battling allergies, looking to remove pollutants, or simply want to breathe easier, the right air purifier can make a difference
The Taste of India in a Glass
FROM ROYAL LIQUEURS TO DISTILLED MAHUA, INDIAN HERITAGE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE HAVING THEIR DAY IN THE SUN
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
IN 2025, INVESTORS WILL NEED TO FACTOR IN VOLATILITY ACROSS ASSET CLASSES
MISSING ADVISORS
INDIA HAS JUST ONE INVESTMENT ADVISOR FOR NEARLY EVERY 200,000 INVESTORS. AT A TIME WHEN RETAIL PARTICIPATION IN THE STOCK MARKETS IS BOOMING, THIS ASSUMES SIGNIFICANCE
TURNING A CORNER
SHARED ELECTRIC MOBILITY START-UP YULU'S SHIFT TO SERVICING THE QUICK COMMERCE SECTOR IS HELPING IT GROW FAST. IT IS NOW FOCUSSING ON IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY FEATURES AS IT TURNS EBITDA POSITIVE
REALITY CHECK
INDIAN STOCK MARKETS PLUNGED BEGINNING OCTOBER FOR A HOST OF REASONS, INCLUDING A FALL IN FII OWNERSHIP. HOW DEEP WILL THE CORRECTION BE?
TRUMP'S TRADE TANGO
The return of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the US has put the global economy on edge. India, too, is unlikely to remain unaffected. How will policymakers meet this latest challenge?
"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”
Global investor, analyst, and best-selling author Ruchir Sharma decodes why Donald Trump won the elections, what India should do, the risks, and more
