MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms Limited (BTL) reported lower consolidated profit after tax (PAT) (less than one-fifth) in the quarter ended 30 June, 2015 (Q1-2016) at Rs 2.09 crore (2.8 per cent margin), which was down 80 per cent as compared to the Rs 10.56 crore (7.8 per cent margin) in Q1-2015 and less than one-fourth the PAT of Rs 9.54 crore (12.3 per cent margin) in the immediate trailing quarter.
BTL reported 44.8 per cent drop in consolidated total income from operations (TIO) in Q1-2016 to Rs 74.64 crore as compared to the Rs 135.34 crore in Q1-2015. The company’s Q1-2016 TIO dropped 2.6 per cent as compared to the Rs 76.94 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.
Note: (1)100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore
(2) All numbers are consolidated unless stated otherwise.
Television segment
BTL’s television segment reported 57 per cent growth in revenue from operations at Rs 68.46 crore in the current quarter as compared to the Rs 43.50 crore in Q1-2015 and 15 per cent more than the Rs 59.51 crore in Q4-2015.
The segment reported a 62 per cent growth in PAT to Rs 4.51 crore as compared to the Rs 1.96 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter. PAT in Q4-2015 was however more than double at Rs 9.61 crore. Consolidated EBIDTA in the current quarter was Rs 4.97 crore as compared to the Rs 14.71 crore in Q1-2015.
The segment’s cost of production shot up by 54 per cent in the current quarter to Rs 55.21 crore as compared to the Rs 35.77 crore in Q1-2015 and was 23 per cent more than the Rs 44.91 crore in Q4-2015, though the company had shot more commissioned programming hours in Q4-2015 than in the current quarter.
The company’s television segment reported revenue of Rs 52.76 crores from 240.5 hours of commissioned programs as compared to the Rs 42.57 crore for 208 commissioned hours in Q1-2015 and revenue of Rs 59.51 crore for 258 commissioned hours in Q4-2015. The number of commissioned hours does not include Nach Baliye. Revenue per hour for commissioned programs in Q1-2016 increased 7.4 per cent to Rs 21.94 lakh as compared to the Rs 20.42 lakh in Q1-2015, but was 4.9 per cent lower than the Rs 23.06 lakh in the immediate trailing quarter.
UPCOMING TELEVISION SHOWS
BTL is gearing up to launch four new shows across four general entertainment channels (GECs) in 2015. The first show is a finite series of 130 episodes, which will be aired from Monday to Friday on Sony beginning second week of September. The second show is a daily fiction serial to be aired on Star Plus from Monday to Saturday from the second week of September. The newest GEC &TV from the Zee Entertainment Enterprises stable will air a new Balaji fiction daily from Monday to Friday by end September. On the other hand, Colors will air a finite show called Nagin comprising 26 episodes of one hour programming, which will be aired on Saturday and Sunday by end October this year.
Additionally, the company is also in talks with GECs for various non-fiction ideas.
UPCOMING MOVIES
BTL has multiple films namely Grand Masti, XXX, Kya Kool Hai Hum 3 and Udta Punjab on the floor. These are either in the post production stage or are nearing completion. The company is looking at releasing these in Q3 or Q4 of the current financial year if schedules stand. Another biopic Azhar is expected to be released in Q1-2017, while shooting is also in progress for a superhero film Flying Jat.
