No enmity with Sony, not influencing advertisers or media agencies: Tata Play's Harit Nagpal
TDSAT on May 27 ordered Tata Play to pay ₹40 crore and stayed the disconnection, the tribunal also restricted Culver Max from displaying on-air scrolls — a direction that was later extended to include online communication.
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In the lead-up to Sony’s marquee broadcast of India’s tour of England 2025, the network is locked in a legal standoff with a leading DTH operator, Tata Play. In an exclusive with Storyboard18, Harit Nagpal- CEO and MD of Tata Play clarified that there has been no attempt to sabotage Sony's business by way of influencing advertisers or media agencies.
The ongoing dispute between Tata Play and Culver Max Entertainment (Sony Pictures Networks India) has intensified, with the matter now reaching the Bombay High Court. The development comes after the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) directed Sony to take down allegedly misleading messaging related to Tata Play’s platform.
Nagpal reiterated that Sony channels were not removed from the platform and that the current measures of removing Sony channels from base packs were aimed at making content delivery more affordable and relevant for users. When asked if Tata Play tried to influence advertisers and media agencies against the broadcaster to which Nagpal said, "I have a job to do—and that does not include meddling in advertising decisions. I do not earn anything from advertising, nor do I track how much it costs. Advertising is not my domain, and any suggestion that I’m influencing media agencies or advertisers against Sony is completely baseless."
Nagpal further said, "Do I have any personal enmity with them? If I had enmity, I wouldn't be carrying it. I am carrying their channels and I am paying them money. Every day, new customers are activating these channels. We’re facilitating that. We even display numbers and ask customers to call and activate them. In fact, the more activations that happen, the more revenue I earn."
TDSAT on May 27 ordered Tata Play to pay ₹40 crore and stayed the disconnection, the tribunal also restricted Culver Max from displaying on-air scrolls — a direction that was later extended to include online communication.
Calling the order arbitrary and in violation of Articles 14, 19(1)(a), and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, Culver Max has requested the High Court to quash the TDSAT's gag directive and stay its implementation until the final verdict. The matter is listed for hearing on June 16.
Asked if the DTH operator is trying to arm twist the broadcaster due to its upcoming India tour of England by taking off Sony channels from the platform, to which Nagpal said, "This is not a channel takedown situation. When someone has a dispute and takes down a channel, it means none of their subscribers can view it. That's not the case here. We’ve not removed any Sony channels from Tata Play’s platform. This is a regular practice we follow, driven by data and aimed at improving affordability for our subscribers."
Nagpal further said, "We observed that there’s a wide gap between channels people subscribe to and the ones they watch. Often, when channels are bundled, people pay for all but watch only one or two. We particularly monitor customers who are slow to recharge—5, 7, sometimes even 15 days late. That’s an indicator they don’t see value in what they’re paying. We remove channels for users who are least engaged but also offer them a way to bring it back."
TDSAT in its order had directed both the parties to reconcile the matter. When questioned if Culver Max and Tata Play are willing to reconcile to resolve the dispute to which Nagpal said, "There’s no need for reconciliation. The issue stems from a notice we received claiming that we owe ₹128 crore. We are paying them and the outstanding amount will be paid too. There is no dispute of payment."
