MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms has reported an eight per cent fall in its net profit for the quarter ended 31 December compared to the earlier year.

The production company, which currently has three shows on top Hindi general entertainment channels, has posted a net profit of Rs 11.2 million for the third quarter, as against a net profit of Rs 12.1 million in the earlier year.

However, the performance is much better when compared to a net loss of Rs 7 million the company had registered in the trailing quarter.

The production major witnessed a 15 per cent dip in income from operations to Rs 330.2 million in the quarter under review compared to Rs 390.4 million a year ago.

Balaji Telefilms has shows like Bade Acche Lagte Hain (Sony Entertainment), Parichay (Colors) and Pavitra Rishta (Zee TV).

The company reported an Ebitda loss of Rs 18.8 million for the quarter under review, compared to an operating loss of Rs 4.3 million a year ago. The other income of Rs 51.2 million helped the company to be in black.

Balaji Telefilms? realisation per hour from commissioned programming increased to Rs 2 million in the quarter, compared to Rs 1.85 million a year ago. However, in the trailing quarter, it was at Rs 2.1 million. The realisation per hour from sponsored programming was at Rs 330,000 in the quarter, compared to Rs 480,000 in the Q2 FY?11.

Commissioned programming remained flat at 120 hours in Q3, compared to Q2 FY?11, while sponsored programmes reduced to 94.5 hours in Q3, compared to 99 hours in Q2.

The company?s total investments as of 31 December stood at Rs 2.57 billion, including Rs 300 million in wholly owned subsidiary Balaji Motion Pictures Ltd (BMPL).

MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (Set) has joined forces with soap factory Balaji Telefilms once again to launch a new fiction show, Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada.

Kyaa Hua? will premiere on 30 January at Monday-Friday 10 pm band, replacing Saas Bina Sasural, which is being shifted to 9 pm.

Set was airing two fiction shows - Dekha Ek Khwaab and Parwarish - for 45 minutes each. Starting 30 January, the shows will run for 30 minutes, vacating the 9 pm slot.

Multi Screen Media COO NP Singh said, ?With the incredible performance of all our fiction shows, we are ready for the next level of growth with a fresh lineup of interesting shows.?

Set senior EVP and business head Sneha Rajani added, ?Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada marks another milestone in our relationship with Balaji. At Set, our endeavor is to pick up shows that are engaging with the characters, language and the environment to which today?s Indian families can relate. We strongly believe in connecting with our audience at an emotional level. We are confident that Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada at 10 pm with a relatable and endearing concept will connect with the viewers and will further strengthen our hold on the prime time slot and also consolidate our position as the second most popular general entertainment channel in India.?

The show follows the story of a married couple with three growing children. It traces the rise and fall of love and togetherness in a typical Indian married couple, whose time and attention for each other survives the vagaries and demands of life?s problems. Mona Singh returns to fiction shows after a hiatus of almost seven years opposite Pawan Shankar who plays her husband Pradeep Singh.

Balaji Telefilms joint MD Ekta Kapoor said, ?After Bade Acche Laggte Hai ruling the charts, we at Balaji are all geared up for yet another interesting show ? Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada which celebrates marriage after 10 years. Through this show we want to show our viewers how the relationship between a husband and wife changes through time but love remains constant. I am extremely delighted to take the relationship with Sony Entertainment Television to another level with the launch of Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada and hope that we are able to create magic together once again.?

MUMBAI: Sahara India has appointed Arpit Agarwal as head of its Strategic Management Advisory Group (Media & Entertainment).

Sources in the company confirmed the development.

Prior to Sahara, he was head ? operations at Fremantle India Television Productions since November 2009.

Agrawal comes with over 16 years of experience in media industry in India and Asia Pacific region. He has spent over seven years in NDTV in its creative team. Later, he moved to production business. He also worked in Singapore for four years, working for Bang Singapore and VHQ TV.

In 2008, he joined Miditech as business head and later moved to Balaji Telefilms and head of operations.

Agrawal was not reachable till the filing of this report.