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Ekta Kapoor Expands Portfolio with Minority Stake in Lab-Grown Diamond Brand Ekatra Jewels While Balaji Telefilms Faces Revenue Decline
Ekta Kapoor, the Padma Shri‑awarded co‑founder of Balaji Telefilms, has announced a minority investment in Bengaluru‑based jewellery house Ekatra Jewels, a move that signals her appetite for diversification beyond television and film.
In a Business Standard interview, Kapoor revealed that she holds a minority stake in the brand and has an option to increase it in the future. She clarified that the founders – Pavitra Gandhi, Sunny Sakariya and herself – are among the five co‑founders of Ekatra. While she does not exert creative control over the jewellery designs, Kapoor believes her name can add equity value to the company.
The jewellery line is built around a new narrative: turning jewellery from an inherited investment into a fashion statement that doubles as a smart investment. The pieces use lightweight gold (9‑ or 14‑carat) and lab‑grown diamonds, allowing a necklace to weigh only 8–10 g instead of the traditional 50 g. This technology‑driven approach aligns with global trends toward sustainability and consumer demand for ethically sourced luxury.
Kapoor’s remarks about the broader content market were framed around India’s 1.4 billion‑person audience. She said that 80 percent of viewers are caught in “doomscrolling” – the constant, low‑commitment consumption of short‑form content. According to her, the first screen, such as a cooking show, is rarely paid content; the second screen, where viewers interact with ads or subscriptions, is where monetisation potential lies.
She added that the ease of entry into short‑form production has increased the volume of content, making it harder for creators to capture audience attention. “If you get someone to commit to your characters, you actually have broken the market,” she said. Kapoor stressed that intellectual property (IP) will become even more important, as audiences will return to familiar characters rather than new, untested stories.
Turning to Balaji Telefilms, Kapoor declined to comment on the company’s financial figures but noted that Balaji is “looking at its best phase ever” and that the studio has had a strong quarter. She cited the 2026 film Bhooth Bangla, which grossed approximately Rs 270 crore worldwide, as evidence of the studio’s continued relevance.
Balaji Telefilms’ revenue has fallen from Rs 453 crore in FY25 to Rs 211 crore in FY26, according to the company’s published financials. Kapoor said that the studio is now focusing on owning its IP, which she believes will allow the brand to expand across multiple media platforms, including gaming and music. She noted that the company’s strategy is to build IPs that can survive beyond the original format.
The jewellery venture and the studio’s strategic shift both reflect Kapoor’s broader view of the entertainment and consumer markets. She said that the democratization of content creation has increased competition, and that creators must now be better storytellers to stand out. She compared the current landscape to the Korean and Turkish markets, where high‑quality content is emerging.
Kapoor’s investment in Ekatra Jewels comes at a time when the Indian jewellery market is growing, driven by cultural demand for gold and the rising purchasing power of women. The brand’s focus on lab‑grown diamonds and lightweight gold aligns with global trends toward sustainable and technologically advanced jewellery.
In summary, Ekta Kapoor is diversifying her portfolio by investing in a modern jewellery brand while steering Balaji Telefilms toward a future that prioritises IP ownership and cross‑media expansion. The studio’s recent box‑office success and the company’s strategic focus on IP suggest a shift toward long‑term value creation, even as the broader content market continues to evolve under the pressures of short‑form consumption and audience fragmentation.
In a Business Standard interview, Kapoor revealed that she holds a minority stake in the brand and has an option to increase it in the future. She clarified that the founders – Pavitra Gandhi, Sunny Sakariya and herself – are among the five co‑founders of Ekatra. While she does not exert creative control over the jewellery designs, Kapoor believes her name can add equity value to the company.
The jewellery line is built around a new narrative: turning jewellery from an inherited investment into a fashion statement that doubles as a smart investment. The pieces use lightweight gold (9‑ or 14‑carat) and lab‑grown diamonds, allowing a necklace to weigh only 8–10 g instead of the traditional 50 g. This technology‑driven approach aligns with global trends toward sustainability and consumer demand for ethically sourced luxury.
Kapoor’s remarks about the broader content market were framed around India’s 1.4 billion‑person audience. She said that 80 percent of viewers are caught in “doomscrolling” – the constant, low‑commitment consumption of short‑form content. According to her, the first screen, such as a cooking show, is rarely paid content; the second screen, where viewers interact with ads or subscriptions, is where monetisation potential lies.
She added that the ease of entry into short‑form production has increased the volume of content, making it harder for creators to capture audience attention. “If you get someone to commit to your characters, you actually have broken the market,” she said. Kapoor stressed that intellectual property (IP) will become even more important, as audiences will return to familiar characters rather than new, untested stories.
Turning to Balaji Telefilms, Kapoor declined to comment on the company’s financial figures but noted that Balaji is “looking at its best phase ever” and that the studio has had a strong quarter. She cited the 2026 film Bhooth Bangla, which grossed approximately Rs 270 crore worldwide, as evidence of the studio’s continued relevance.
Balaji Telefilms’ revenue has fallen from Rs 453 crore in FY25 to Rs 211 crore in FY26, according to the company’s published financials. Kapoor said that the studio is now focusing on owning its IP, which she believes will allow the brand to expand across multiple media platforms, including gaming and music. She noted that the company’s strategy is to build IPs that can survive beyond the original format.
The jewellery venture and the studio’s strategic shift both reflect Kapoor’s broader view of the entertainment and consumer markets. She said that the democratization of content creation has increased competition, and that creators must now be better storytellers to stand out. She compared the current landscape to the Korean and Turkish markets, where high‑quality content is emerging.
Kapoor’s investment in Ekatra Jewels comes at a time when the Indian jewellery market is growing, driven by cultural demand for gold and the rising purchasing power of women. The brand’s focus on lab‑grown diamonds and lightweight gold aligns with global trends toward sustainable and technologically advanced jewellery.
In summary, Ekta Kapoor is diversifying her portfolio by investing in a modern jewellery brand while steering Balaji Telefilms toward a future that prioritises IP ownership and cross‑media expansion. The studio’s recent box‑office success and the company’s strategic focus on IP suggest a shift toward long‑term value creation, even as the broader content market continues to evolve under the pressures of short‑form consumption and audience fragmentation.
