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Category: News Headline

  • Kabaddi gets a new tune as Sportz Interactive drops AI-powered anthems

    Kabaddi gets a new tune as Sportz Interactive drops AI-powered anthems

    MUMBAI: When kabaddi meets cadence and AI meets attitude, you know sport is getting a remix. Sportz Interactive (SI), the sports tech and fan engagement powerhouse, has rolled out three fresh team anthems for Pro Kabaddi League Season 12, each crafted with speed, style, and a splash of artificial intelligence.

    For the Bengal Warriorz, SI and Capri Sports unleashed Tashan Toofani, a swagger-heavy anthem designed for Gen Z. Beyond penning the lyrics, the team leaned on AI to stitch together the soundtrack, create futuristic player avatars and layer in visuals dripping with fashion, music, and sport, a cultural cocktail tailored for the next wave of kabaddi fans.

    If Bengal got bold, Gujarat got fast. The Giants’ rallying cry, Garjega Gujarat, was turned around in just five days, a record sprint that combined SI’s in-house hustle with AI-powered fan-generated animations. Proof, perhaps, that an anthem doesn’t need months to roar if tech is tuned right.

    Meanwhile, the UP Yoddhas went cinematic. Their anthem, produced with a lean crew but boosted by AI workflows, captured the team’s gritty, battle-ready persona without compromising on authenticity or polish. It showed how smart tools can strip away inefficiencies while keeping the heart of the story intact.

    “These three productions reflect the versatility of our teams and the immense potential of AI to transform how sports franchises connect with their fans,” said Sportz Interactive SVP for leagues, teams & federations Chintan Shah. “Whether it’s ultra-fast delivery, fresh visual styles, or smarter workflows, we’re proud to be pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sports storytelling.”

    With Pro Kabaddi Season 12 set to storm the mats from 29 August 2025, fans of the Warriorz, Giants and Yoddhas won’t just cheer their heroes on the court, they’ll sing along to anthems built at the intersection of creativity, code and culture. Because in this league, it’s not just about points and tackles, but also about the soundtrack of sporting passion.

  • South Side Story hits the right notes as Red FM fest dazzles Delhi crowd

    South Side Story hits the right notes as Red FM fest dazzles Delhi crowd

    MUMBAI: When Carnatic ragas meet hip-hop beats and an Onam Sadhya feeds thousands, you know Delhi has been treated to more than just a music festival. 93.5 Red FM’s South Side Story returned for its 7th edition at KD Jadhav Wrestling Stadium, drawing over 12,000 attendees for a two-day cultural feast of sound, flavour, and art.

    Day one was a blend of heritage and innovation. Carnatic maestro TM Krishna struck a soulful opening chord, followed by Job Kurian’s indie charm and the fresh energy of Aattam & Bhadra Rajin. Padma Bhushan awardee Shobana stole the spotlight with her first-ever North India stage performance, a dazzling fusion of Bharatanatyam and cinematic artistry. The evening closed with Avial’s trademark Carnatic rock anthems that had the crowd chanting for more.

    If tradition led the way on day one, day two was about shaking things up. All-women hip-hop collective Wild Wild Women turned up the swagger, Sooraj Santhosh brought his melodic warmth, Thaikkudam Bridge electrified the stage, and the Raghu Dixit Project delivered a high-voltage finale. Beyond the music, audiences tucked into a grand 20-plus dish Onam Sadhya and explored food pop-ups from Mahabelly, Naivedyam, Dakshin Canteen and more. With 60–65 per cent of attendees from southern states and a strong turnout from northern India, the festival lived up to its promise of being a cultural bridge.

    “South Side Story is more than just a music festival, it’s a vibrant celebration of art, culture, literature, cuisine, and community,” said Red FM and Magic FM Director & COO Nisha Narayanan. “It was uplifting to see such a diverse audience immersed in the South’s spirit at our 7th edition. At Red FM, we don’t just host events, we curate experiences that inspire, connect and resonate long after the final note.”

    With partners ranging from Royal Enfield and Bank of Maharashtra to Oxford Bookstore and Kerala Literature Festival, the event became a pan-cultural showcase. From ragas to rap, sambar to rock, South Side Story once again proved that Delhi can handle the heat and the spice of the South.
     

  • Paisabazaar opens doors to credit with first retail store in Gurugram

    Paisabazaar opens doors to credit with first retail store in Gurugram

    MUMBAI: Credit just got a shopfront makeover. Paisabazaar, India’s largest credit marketplace and free credit score platform, has stepped off the screen and onto the street with the launch of its first-ever retail store in Gurugram. This brick-and-mortar debut marks the fintech’s bold push to blend face-to-face financial advice with its tech-driven backbone.

    Over the next few weeks, the lender will expand with two more stores in Delhi and Noida before rolling out an ambitious 100 outlets across Mumbai, Delhi/NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and other metros. These hubs won’t just sell loans but will serve as financial pitstops for every kind of borrower from first-time credit seekers to small business owners offering guidance on personal loans, home loans, business loans and credit cards. For those less comfortable navigating apps, Paisabazaar’s physical presence promises hand-holding, personalised solutions and a friendlier gateway into the world of credit.

    “The retail store is a new business model for us, one that combines the comfort of a physical interaction and a technology-led seamless experience,” said Paisabazaar CEO Santosh Agarwal. “Our physical presence will help us both scale our business and deepen consumer trust.” The initiative aligns with the fintech’s larger goal of bridging the digital–physical divide and building a hybrid model that caters to millions of Indians who want the reassurance of a handshake alongside a loan approval. In a country where credit literacy still has miles to go, Paisabazaar’s retail foray may well prove to be credit where it’s due.

  • Disney Channel celebrates Doraemon’s birthday with Dora cakes & movie marathon

    Disney Channel celebrates Doraemon’s birthday with Dora cakes & movie marathon

    MUMBAI: Talk about a purr-fect party! Disney Channel India is rolling out the blue carpet for one of television’s most beloved characters: Doraemon. In the run-up to its birthday on 3 September, the channel has kicked off a week-long celebration that blends on-air specials, digital fun, and even edible treats.

    From 1–7 September, evenings on Disney Channel will turn into Doraemon time, with special movies airing daily from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The channel itself is getting a makeover too, donning Doraemon’s trademark look so fans feel like they’re stepping right into his world. Adding to the fun, viewers can share birthday wishes for Doraemon, with a chance to see their greetings featured on air.

    The celebrations don’t stop at the TV screen. On social media, influencer-led activities and curated compilations of Doraemon’s most heart-warming moments are set to keep fans smiling all week.

    And in a sweet twist, Disney Channel has teamed up with The Teal Baking Co. to whip up wholesome versions of Doraemon’s favourite snack Dora cakes. Lucky fans will get surprise deliveries of these kid-friendly treats, making the celebrations both magical and delicious.

    Beloved for his futuristic gadgets, quick fixes and his unshakable bond with Nobita, Doraemon continues to be one of India’s most cherished TV icons. This birthday, Disney Channel’s grand tribute promises plenty of nostalgia, joy, and of course, blue-hued magic for fans of all ages.
     

  • Delhi’s Loya Qissa welcomes Mexico’s Aruba bar takeover

    Delhi’s Loya Qissa welcomes Mexico’s Aruba bar takeover

    MUMBAI: When Delhi’s iconic Loya says “cheers” it does so with stories. Its much-loved bar takeover series, Qissa, is back. This time shaking things up with a spirited cross-continental collaboration.

    Flying in from Tijuana, Mexico, the celebrated Aruba day drink bar, ranked No. 22 in North America’s 50 best bars 2025, is stepping behind Loya’s counter. At the helm is Frida González, Aruba’s co-owner and one of the brightest forces in Baja California’s cocktail culture.

    González is known for crafting ingredient-forward drinks that are as vibrant as they are honest, championing a style that feels playful yet deeply rooted in Mexico’s northwest coast. Under her watch, the takeover promises a sun-drenched menu echoing Aruba’s signature ‘daytime conviviality’: fresh, bold, and layered with Baja narratives.

    Think zesty pours brimming with Mexican flavours, inventive techniques, and a dash of storytelling, all served against Loya’s backdrop of north Indian artistry and flavour. 

    After its showcase at Loya, Taj Palace, New Delhi,  this edition of Qissa won’t stop there. The collaboration will pack its shakers and journey to Mumbai’s The Taj Mahal Palace, and Bengaluru’s Taj West End carrying a dialogue of craft and culture across three cities.

  • Sportskeeda CTO Sankalp Sharma exits after 10 years at the helm

    Sportskeeda CTO Sankalp Sharma exits after 10 years at the helm

    MUMBAI: You can’t spell Sportskeeda without code. And for the last decade, Sankalp Sharma has been the man behind the machine, the chief technology officer who took a broken codebase, a skeletal team, and a laundry list of experiments, and turned it into a battle-hardened platform serving millions of sports fans worldwide. Now, after 10 years and 7 months, Sharma is moving on, leaving behind a tech legacy etched into the site’s DNA.

    Sharma’s tenure has been one of audacious scale. From six hot codebases and a dozen services, his lean team engineered a system that now handles a billion API calls a day with near-million concurrency. As CTO since December 2020 (after stints as VP of technology and tech lead), he not only scaled from “0 to 1, 1 to 10, and on to 100” but also reshaped how Sportskeeda approached experimentation, reliability, and growth.

    Reflecting on his philosophy, Sharma describes his approach as “going wide, going deep, and going around” spotting unnoticed patterns, rolling up his sleeves to refine systems, and navigating future goals through the fog of war. Along the way, he fostered a culture of curiosity, killed fluff projects early, and championed open-source contributions. His earlier career saw roles at Essencemediacom, Mindshare, VML, Foxymoron, TCS, and even a freelance stint helping startups and Fortune 500 companies alike.

    From one-click deployments to site reliability engineering, from streamlining legacy microservices to mentoring LGBTQIA+ professionals and startup founders, Sharma’s playbook has been as much about people as it was about platforms. As Sportskeeda now looks ahead to its next growth chapter, it does so with a tech foundation built on Sharma’s decade-long vision of harmony amid chaos.

     

  • Perform ace’s Connect X bags exclusive Indian sneaker festival

    Perform ace’s Connect X bags exclusive Indian sneaker festival

    MUMBAI:  Talk about making the right move. Perform ace’s connect X has just bagged the exclusive rights to the Indian sneaker festival (ISF): a coup that cements its place at the heart of India’s booming streetwear and sneaker scene.

    Billed as the country’s biggest celebration of sneakers, music and lifestyle, ISF has already become the holy ground for sneakerheads, collectors, and culture vultures. With connect X stepping in, the festival is gearing up to scale bigger heights, blending ‘phygital’ experiences to make sure India’s street style has a truly global strut.

    So, what makes ISF such a cultural heavyweight? Think more than just shoes. The festival brings together limited-edition drops, exclusive showcases from global and local brands, high-octane music acts, and interactive zones with sneaker-trading pits, graffiti walls, customisation booths, flea markets and more.

    This year, Grammy-winning rapper 21 Savage headlined the event: a watershed moment for India’s music-meets-streetwear scene. Past years have seen homegrown favourites like Seedhe Maut and Wazir tearing up the stage, proving ISF is as much about beats as it is about kicks.

    A spokesperson from Perform ace put it simply, “Sneakers and streetwear aren’t just products, they’re identity, creativity and culture. With ISF under the PerformAce banner, we’re creating a platform that lets India’s youth connect, collaborate and celebrate on a global scale.”

     

  • India News makes Dish-tinct move, returns to DD Free Dish on Channel 0073

    India News makes Dish-tinct move, returns to DD Free Dish on Channel 0073

    MUMBAI: Breaking news just found a new address Channel No. 0073. India News, Itv Network’s flagship Hindi news channel, is back on DD Free Dish, renewing its promise of fearless, fact-driven journalism for every Indian household, from metro hubs to remote hamlets. DD Free Dish, the country’s largest free DTH platform, already beams into 49 million homes making India News’ renewed slot a move of scale and substance. Securing one of only two vacant MPEG-2 slots in Prasar Bharati’s 90th e-auction, the channel has cemented its place in an increasingly crowded media landscape, giving advertisers a rare opportunity to tap into one of India’s widest free-to-air audiences.

    For India News, the return isn’t just about numbers, it’s about purpose. “Strengthening our nationwide reach through DD Free Dish allows us to take fearless, accurate journalism to millions more,” said India News managing editor for input Rakesh Singh. “In an era where reliable information is more important than ever, this expansion ensures citizens can make decisions based on facts.”

    Echoing the sentiment Itv Foundation chairperson Aishwarya Pandit Sharma added: “This renewed inclusion is a strategic step in our commitment to democratising access to quality journalism. It brings our content to every corner of the country while offering advertisers a trusted and credible platform.”

    Renowned for its investigative reporting, hard-hitting analysis, and no-nonsense coverage, India News has long stood out in the Hindi news space. With this move, it doubles down on its mission: to empower citizens with reliable, unbiased, high-impact journalism, one household at a time.
     

  • Madison logs into digital future with Vivek Das as chief digital officer

    Madison logs into digital future with Vivek Das as chief digital officer

    MUMBAI: When the digital world calls, Madison Media answers with a double click and its newest hire is set to hit refresh on the agency’s future. Madison Media, part of Madison World, has roped in Vivek Das as chief digital officer, a role in which he will report to Ajit Varghese, partner and group CEO, Madison Media and OOH. With more than 20 years of experience spanning entrepreneurship, integrated media, and digital transformation, Das is no stranger to reshaping how brands connect with audiences.

    Most recently, he was on the India leadership team at Essencemedia.com, where he helmed Google India and Southeast Asia WPP’s second-largest account globally. His résumé also features leadership stints at Mindshare and VML (formerly Wunderman), besides a CEO turn at Foxymoron. Beyond the boardroom, he mentors LGBTQIA+ professionals and startup founders, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity and new-age entrepreneurship.

    Welcoming him aboard, Varghese noted, “Vivek joins us at a pivotal time… At Madison, we are building an AI-first planning framework and embedding digital-first thinking into everything we do. His rich experience makes him the perfect leader to accelerate this journey.”

    Das added his own perspective: “I am thrilled to join Madison at a time of great opportunity and change… In the era of platforms, LLMs, and Artificial Intelligence, I look forward to strengthening Madison’s leadership in new media and enhancing the value we bring to clients and the industry.”

    For Madison, this appointment isn’t just about filling a role, it’s about future-proofing its position in a market where AI, creativity, and consumer-first strategies are rewriting the playbook

  • Shemaroo rolls out first hindi movie channel ‘Shemaroo Josh’

    Shemaroo rolls out first hindi movie channel ‘Shemaroo Josh’

    MUMBAI: Lights, camera, Josh! Bollywood buffs, get ready for a full-throttle film fest on your TV. Shemaroo Entertainment, the six-decade-old powerhouse of Indian entertainment, has launched Shemaroo Josh: its first dedicated Hindi movie channel.

    Formerly known as Chumbak TV, the channel has now morphed into a high-energy movie destination, promising back-to-back blockbusters across action, drama, romance, comedy and everything in between. Available on DD free dish, all major DTH platforms, and cable networks, Shemaroo Josh is set to beam the big screen straight into living rooms across India.

    The line-up is a cinephile’s dream: PK, Animal, Kantara, KGF, Bahubali, Waltair Veerayya, 12th Fail, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and many more, ensuring that every evening can feel like a Friday release.

    “Shemaroo has been an integral part of India’s cinematic journey,” said Shemaroo Entertainment, CEO, Hiren Gada. “With Shemaroo Josh, we bring renewed energy and a sharper focus on what excites the masses, strengthening our commitment to keep India entertained every single day.”

    Echoing this, Shemaroo entertainment, COO – broadcasting business, Sandeep Gupta added, “In a world of endless choices, the joy of watching a blockbuster with family on TV remains unmatched. Shemaroo Josh is our tribute to that timeless habit, turning every film into an event.”

    With a splashy line-up, massy storytelling, and a name that screams energy, Shemaroo Josh looks set to add serious power to India’s most loved TV genre. After all, in a nation where cinema is a religion, there’s always room for one more screen idol. This time, in the form of a channel.