French content production company Banijay increases stake across its key Indian units

Mumbai: French content production group Banijay has increased its shareholding across key Indian subsidiaries as part of a consolidation push in one of its fastest-growing markets.

Regulatory filings showed that the company now holds 98.88% in Endemol India, Ink Pen Media and Logline Production, up from about 97% earlier. Ink Pen and Logline are Endemol India subsidiaries.

In a parallel move, the Paris-headquartered company has increased its stake in Seventaurus Entertainment Studio, the joint venture it operates with industry veteran Deepak Dhar, to 49.54% from 49.12%.

Executives familiar with the matter said Banijay may eventually seek majority control of Seventaurus as part of its plan to streamline ownership across its India operations.

Banijay’s India portfolio includes some of the most widely distributed entertainment intellectual properties (IPs) in the market.

The company runs Bigg Boss, the Indian adaptation of the global Big Brother format, in six Indian languages, making it the country’s largest non-fiction franchise by scale. Its slate also includes long-running unscripted titles such as MasterChef India and scripted adaptations including The Night Manager and The Good Wife.The group has also expanded its local footprint through partnerships with BBC Studios India, Ravi Shastri’s Sporting Beyond and Nazara for IP creation across different formats.Banijay had also planned to launch a space-reality series in India but the project is yet to take off, and Thailand is now expected to debut the format first.

The broader consolidation strategy extends a multi-year effort by Banijay to bring its India entities under closer group level control. The group had earlier acquired Endemol India by buying out CA Media in a deal valued at $90 million, valuing Endemol India at more than $200 million.

The consolidation moves come at a time when the Indian content production sector is navigating challenges, with broadcasters and streaming platforms tightening budgets, reducing episodic orders and recalibrating investments in large formats.

Banijay declined to comment on the matter.

Industry executives said Banijay remains dependent on a small group of broadcasters and major streaming platforms for commissioning, and the current cost-cutting cycle across both segments has put pressure on the company’s revenues.

Endemol India, fully owned by Banijay Benelux Holding B.V., reported total income of about Rs 503 crore for 2023-24, down from Rs 562 crore in the previous year, according to data sourced from Tofler. Profit fell to about Rs 67 crore from Rs 92 crore during this period.

Seventaurus Entertainment Studio, where shareholding is split between Banijay Group SA, Deepak Dhar and Rishi Negi, posted revenue of about Rs 140 crore for 2023-24 against Rs 269 crore a year earlier. Profit after tax rose to about Rs 5 crore from Rs 4 crore.

Banijay, which also owns Endemol Shine India, was targeting a combined revenue of about Rs 1,000 crore in 2023-24.

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