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Category: News Headline

  • Pongpong Dino gets a juicy bite of UK and US broadcast deals

    Pongpong Dino gets a juicy bite of UK and US broadcast deals

    MUMBAI: From bouncing on cherries to jet-skiing on avocados, these dinos are serving fun by the spoonful. Emmy-winning French animation house Dandelooo is cooking up a global treat with Pongpong Dino, the delightfully zany preschool series that’s just landed broadcast deals in the UK and the US. The CGI show, produced by Korean studio Dream Factory and directed by Taek Geun Chae, blends food, friendship and fizzy fun for kids aged 3 to 5.

    Pongpong Dino will premiere on Sky Kids and Now in the UK later this year. Across the Atlantic, it’s set to make a splash on Vme Kids, the first 24/7 Spanish-language TV channel focused on educational preschool content in the US.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Pongpong Dino to the Vme Kids lineup,” said Vme Media Inc VP of programming and operations Doris Vogelmann. “With its vibrant animation, engaging storytelling and joyful tone, it’s a perfect fit for our youngest viewers.”

    The series follows five exuberant dino kids Momo, Titi, Po, Tutu, and Kaka as they bounce through fantastical food-filled worlds, where cheese becomes jump rope and lemons are repurposed as water balloons. The show encourages young audiences to explore food with all five senses, promoting curiosity, collaboration and a playful attitude to nutrition.

    At the heart of Pongpong Dino is a child-led approach to problem-solving where listening to peers and thinking creatively is key to every challenge. Forget boring lectures and picky eaters these dinos dive headfirst into flavour, fun, and friendship.

    With its global expansion, Pongpong Dino is proving that when it comes to early learning, a spoonful of imagination goes a long way.

  • CNBC-TV18 Prime Circle sets the stage for a global mind jam

    CNBC-TV18 Prime Circle sets the stage for a global mind jam

    MUMBAI: The suits are getting serious and global. CNBC-TV18 Prime is all set to unveil its latest brainchild: the Prime Circle, a high-octane, invitation-only gathering of heavyweight thinkers, business titans and policy pundits. The debut edition kicks off on 16 July in partnership with HDFC Tru, promising an evening brimming with ideas, intellect and a splash of wine wisdom.

    Designed as a marquee platform for global dialogue, Prime Circle will bring together powerhouses navigating today’s fractured world from macroeconomic mayhem to AI overdrive and geopolitical chess.

    On the speakers’ list: Manny Maceda, chairman of Bain & Company; Robert Rosenkranz, chairman of Delphi Capital Management; George Yeo, former foreign affairs minister of Singapore; Shyam Saran, ex-foreign secretary of India; and Dhiraj Relli, MD and CEO at HDFC Securities. These aren’t your everyday talking heads, they’re the ones shaping the playbook.

    Adding sparkle to the evening: Sonal Holland, India’s only Master of Wine, who’ll uncork a curated tasting session to keep the conversation as smooth as the pour.

    Speaking about the event, Smriti Mehra, CEO, Business News, Network18 from CNBC-TV18 Prime said, “CNBC-TV18 Prime aims to bring the pulse of global markets to India through an India-first lens. With Prime Circle, we are creating a marquee platform for high-impact, strategic conversations that reflect the opportunities and risks for India, a global force to recon with . We are honoured to welcome an exceptional line-up of voices who offer real perspective, experience, and foresight.”

    Speaking on the partnership, Relli stated, “Our partnership with CNBC-TV18 Prime enables us to leverage our research-driven expertise to deliver actionable market insights and foster financial literacy across television and digital platforms. We look forward to co-creating impactful content, engaging with investors at marquee events, and, through the upcoming Prime Circle event, facilitating meaningful global dialogue that shapes the future of India’s capital markets.”

    The Prime Circle is CNBC-TV18 Prime’s bid to push past the predictable panel and into something punchier: a space where power meets perspective, with a twist of terroir.

  • Mother’s Recipe gives pickles a wellness twist with ‘Hearty Roots’ launch

    Mother’s Recipe gives pickles a wellness twist with ‘Hearty Roots’ launch

    MUMBAI: In a zesty move that marries ancient wisdom with modern wellness, Mother’s Recipe has rolled out Hearty Roots– a bold, Ayurveda-inspired range of pickles that’s high on flavour and low on guilt. With zero oil, superfoods like ashwagandha, moringa, flax seeds, and jaggery, this isn’t your grandma’s pickle or maybe it is, but with a clean-label makeover.

    Touted as India’s first healthy pickle range, Hearty Roots taps into the booming Rs 10,352 crore health and wellness foods segment, growing at 10 per cent a year, and is aimed squarely at millennials and health-aware consumers craving clean eating without killing their taste buds.

    From lime pickle that’s completely oil-free to mango with ashwagandha (for stress-busting snacking), garlic with moringa (a real antioxidant punch), and even a bittersweet karela twist (blood sugar, be warned), the line-up is designed to spice up the wellness aisle.

    Each jar is sun-cured, fermented the old-fashioned way, and free of artificial nasties. It’s healthy with heritage and attitude.

    Desai Foods executive director Sanjana Desai and the force behind the launch, shared, “Every household has grown up with the familiar taste of pickles, passed down with love through generations. With Hearty Roots, we are holding on to that emotion while responding to how food habits are evolving today. This brand reflects a conscious step forward – making wellness accessible through ingredients that are time-tested and purposeful. Hearty Roots is rooted in our culture, created for those who seek flavour, function and familiarity on every plate.”

    Currently available in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad via Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, Amazon Fresh, Bigbasket, and www.mothersrecipe.com, Hearty Roots is all set to pop open in more cities and select specialty stores soon.

    Because let’s face it, no salad ever sparked a memory like a good old pickle can.

  • Zomato serves up a motivational feast with Fuel Your Hustle campaign

    Zomato serves up a motivational feast with Fuel Your Hustle campaign

    MUMBAI: Food delivery and experiences company Zomato has dished out a high-octane, monochrome television commercial, “Fuel Your Hustle”, drawing comparisons to Nike’s iconic “Just Do It” ethos. The star-studded TVC features Hindi cinema’s Shah Rukh Khan, cricketing ace Jasprit Bumrah, boxing legend Mary Kom, and musical maestro AR Rahman, all united in a quest to uncover the “secret ingredient” of greatness.  

    The film is tied together by a compelling music track from Kalmi (Nikhil Kalimireddy), best known for his hit “Big Dawgs”. The background score features a dynamic blend of Indian and western sounds, characterised by a prominent use of percussion and drums that amplify the motivational fervour. 

    The advert kicks off with an intriguing question: “What’s their secret ingredient? Their secret sauce for greatness? What do they know that others don’t?”. What follows is a compelling visual narrative of each icon’s relentless dedication to their craft. Khan is seen meticulously re-taking scenes, Rahman passionately wrestling with his keyboards to perfect a tune, Kom relentlessly skipping and sparring in the boxing ring, and Bumrah unleashing thunderous deliveries that send stumps cartwheeling. 

    A montage of candid shots interspersed with their rigorous routines is accompanied by a haunting voiceover. It declares, “They know the taste of sweat. The salt of tears. They wake up when it’s dark. They show up when it’s hard. They know what it takes, retakes, mistakes. The truth is they are just like you and me. There’s no secret recipe. They JUST WANT IT MORE. THE SECRET INGREDIENT IS HUSTLE. FUEL YOUR HUSTLE. Zomato.” 

    The TVC, with its powerful personalities, stirring message, and driving soundtrack, undoubtedly commands attention. It not only positions Zomato as a brand that embodies its own “hustle,” but also aims to inspire the common person to fuel their ambitions. This ad suggests that Zomato is hungry for more, and wants its customers to feel the same zest for life.

     

  • Amagi appoints Sangeeta Chakraborty as chief revenue officer

    Amagi appoints Sangeeta Chakraborty as chief revenue officer

    MUMBAI: Amagi, a cloud-based SaaS technology solutions provider for broadcast and streaming TV, announced the appointment of Sangeeta Chakraborty as its chief revenue officer. In this role, Chakraborty will lead all global go-to-market functions, including sales, customer success, marketing, services, and operations, to drive Amagi’s next phase of growth and customer impact.

    Sangeeta brings over two decades of enterprise software leadership experience, having scaled revenue and customer success organisations across both product-led and sales-led growth models. She has held senior leadership roles at high-growth technology companies, including Miro, Okta, Checkr, SymphonyAI, Accela, and VMware.

    Chakraborty was Miro’s chief customer officer from November 2021 to February 2023 and chief revenue officer from March 2023 to December 2024. During her tenure, the company scaled more than 250,000 customers worldwide while growing its user base to 80+ million. The company was valued at $17.5 billion and ranked #11 on the Forbes Cloud 100 list.

    “Joining Amagi at this juncture is incredibly exciting. The media industry is undergoing a profound transformation, and Amagi stands at the forefront with its cloud technology innovation that is purpose-built for today’s video economy. From live production to monetization, Amagi is powering critical workflows for the world’s top media brands. I look forward to working with our global teams and customers to unlock new growth opportunities, strengthen our market leadership, and deliver measurable value through innovation, scale, and trust”, said Chakraborty.

    A frequent industry speaker and strategist, Chakraborty brings domain expertise in SaaS and AI across diverse industries such as financial services, healthcare, government tech, and telecom. She holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and a B.Tech. in Computer Science from NIT Warangal. Sangeeta will be based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

    Commenting on the appointment, Amagi co-founder & president -global business, Srinivasan KA said, “Media companies around the world are accelerating their shift to cloud-native, AI-powered infrastructure. Sangeeta brings the leadership and customer-first mindset that will help us lead the next chapter of our global expansion and market leadership.”

  • Tesla drives into India: Mumbai showroom opens with high-priced model Y

    Tesla drives into India: Mumbai showroom opens with high-priced model Y

    MUMBAI: Mumbai played host to a pivotal moment in India’s electric vehicle narrative on Tuesday as Tesla officially inaugurated its first showroom, a sleek 4,000 sq ft experience centre at the upscale Maker Maxity Mall in Bandra Kurla complex (BKC).1 The much-anticipated debut marks the EV behemoth’s initial physical foray into one of the globe’s burgeoning EV markets, kicking off its Indian journey with the Model Y SUV.

    The Model Y, imported as completely built units (CBUs) from Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory, comes with a rather hefty price tag for Indian consumers: the rear-wheel drive variant is listed at Rs 60 lakh, while the long-range version will set buyers back Rs 68 lakh.2 These figures significantly eclipse Tesla’s base pricing in established markets such as the US ($44,900), China (263,500 yuan), and Germany (45,970 euros), largely due to India’s substantial import duties. Customs documentation revealed each Model Y arrived at Mumbai port declared at Rs 27.7 lakh ($31,988), attracting over Rs 21 lakh in import duties, aligning with India’s 70 per cent tariff on fully-built vehicles priced under $40,000.Devendra Phadnavis

    Beyond the showroom, which is strategically located near Apple’s flagship store, Tesla has imported nearly $1 million worth of Supercharger infrastructure and accessories from the US and China, earmarked for installation around Mumbai to support early adopters. The company is also establishing a dedicated service centre in Kurla West for after-sales support.

    The long-term play for India appears clear. Tesla already boasts a registered office in Bengaluru and an engineering hub in Pune. Maharashtra deputy chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, underscored this broader vision, hailing Tesla’s arrival as more than a mere commercial venture.

    “This is not just the inauguration of an experience centre but a statement that Tesla has arrived, a statement that it has arrived in the right city and state, that is Mumbai, Maharashtra. Mumbai stands for innovation and sustainability. Tesla is not just a car and car company but stands for innovation and sustainability,” Fadnavis declared.

    Tesla had teased its entry on its India-specific X handle with a coming coon” post, hinting at a July 2025 debut.

  • Kuwahara hits the high note as new CEO of Nippon TV Music

    Kuwahara hits the high note as new CEO of Nippon TV Music

    MUMBAI: From Death Note to chart notes Nippon TV Music has a new maestro at the helm. In a strategic move that harmonises anime excellence with music publishing prowess, Nippon Television Music Corporation has appointed Kako Kuwahara as its new president and CEO. She takes the baton from Akihiro Shimizu, who now heads Tipness Co. Ltd., another Nippon Television Holdings subsidiary.

    Kuwahara’s appointment signals a dynamic new chapter for the Tokyo-based music publisher, which plays a vital role in exporting Japan’s most iconic soundtracks and character IPs across the globe. With a portfolio boasting anime heavyweights like Hunter×Hunter, Death Note, The Apothecary Diaries, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Nippon TV Music is a key player in delivering Japan’s pop culture to the world, one theme song at a time.

    Having led international and anime business strategies at Nippon TV, Kuwahara was instrumental in globalising recent anime hits. Under her leadership, the company aims to further amplify its presence through collaborations with sub-publishers and creators worldwide. She will report to Nippon TV Holdings senior operating officer Keiichi Sawa.

    “While Nippon TV is already a global powerhouse in Japanese entertainment, we at Nippon TV Music aim to further elevate our presence through the music we produce,” Kuwahara said. “With anime, films, dramas and variety shows, and Japan’s incredible music creators, we want to craft characters and songs that speak to the world.”

    Founded in 1969, Nippon TV Music operates in two main verticals: music and character business. It manages theme music and scores for major shows, supervises copyright and master recordings, and nurtures rising artists. On the character front, it handles international merchandising and game adaptations for titles like Anpanman and Lupin the Third.

    With Kuwahara now composing the next act, Nippon TV Music’s mission is clear keep the beats rolling and the fandom growing across continents.

    (If you are an Anime fan and love Anime like Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Dan Da Dan and Slime, Buy your favourite Anime merchandise on AnimeOriginals.com.)

  • Ola Electric posts Rs 428 crore Q1 loss despite doubling its revenue

    Ola Electric posts Rs 428 crore Q1 loss despite doubling its revenue

    MUMBAI: It’s been a quarter of high voltage and higher losses at Ola Electric. Despite clocking a robust revenue of Rs 896 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2025 more than double from Rs 428 crore in Q1 last year, the EV unicorn reported a net consolidated loss of Rs 428 crore, widening from Rs 347 crore a year ago.

    The red flags come despite steady momentum on the top line. Ola’s revenue from operations stood at Rs 828 crore, and other income added Rs 68 crore. Segment-wise, automotive sales accounted for Rs 826 crore of the operating revenue, while cell manufacturing remained a minor contributor at Rs 3 crore.

    On the cost side, it was a heavy ride. Total expenses ballooned to Rs 1,065 crore, up from Rs 1,849 crore in Q1 FY24. Material costs alone stood at Rs 441 crore, while employee benefits and other expenses amounted to Rs 451 crore. Ola also booked Rs 259 crore towards depreciation and finance costs.

    While the company has notched gains in market presence and brand recall, the earnings sheet paints a more complex picture. Ola’s net loss before tax stood at Rs 428 crore, matching its loss for Q4 FY25. There was no exceptional income or tax expense this time, but the company had previously reversed Rs 23 crore of production-linked incentives.

    Ola, which debuted on the stock exchanges in August 2024 after a Rs 5,275 crore IPO, still has Rs 2,594 crore of those funds unutilised. According to filings, Rs 2,563 crore is parked in fixed deposits, and Rs 31 crore remains in monitoring accounts. The company had earmarked Rs 1,228 crore for battery cell production, Rs 800 crore for debt repayment, Rs 1,600 crore for R&D, and Rs 350 crore for organic growth.

    While the EV major faces scrutiny from regulatory bodies such as the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and the National Stock Exchange over complaints and data discrepancies, management has expressed confidence that these will have no material impact on financials.

    Despite negative operational cash flow of Rs 143 crore in Q1, the company is optimistic. It recently secured board approval to raise Rs 1,700 crore via non-convertible debentures to bolster liquidity and growth plans.

    Ola Electric chairman and managing director Bhavish Aggarwal noted that the group continues to assess its operations as a going concern, factoring in expected cash inflows, credit lines, and product rollouts.

    For Ola Electric, the road ahead may be steep but with big ambitions in the EV and battery space, it’s not shifting gears just yet.

    (If you are an Anime fan and love Anime like Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Dan Da Dan and Slime, Buy your favourite Anime merchandise on AnimeOriginals.com.)

  • Theblurr brings on Sainath Saraban as co-founder and chief creative officer

    Theblurr brings on Sainath Saraban as co-founder and chief creative officer

    MUMBAI: Theblurr has announced the appointment of Sainath Saraban as co-founder and CCO. With a legacy of bold storytelling and a globally attuned creative lens, Sainath will lead Theblurr’s creative vision across markets, helping brands cut through noise with ideas rooted in insight, craft, and outcomes.

    Sai brings over two decades of creative leadership, having worked across India, the USA, LATAM, S.E. Asia, Europe, and Africa. His portfolio spans some of the world’s most respected brands including Pepsi, Bacardi, Coca-Cola, Nike, Levi’s, Amazon, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard with standout work like the iconic ‘Aaj kuch Toofani karte hai’ campaign for Thums Up.

    From his early days at JWT and McCann to becoming National Creative Director at Leo Burnett India, and later founding Simple Creative Inc. and Studio Simple in the U.S., Sai has continuously bridged cultural nuance with big-brand storytelling. His work as a Global Creative Director with Hewlett-Packard demonstrates that great ideas can travel globally while staying locally relevant.

    “Sai is not just a creative leader—he’s a global storyteller who speaks the language of culture, technology, and human truth,” said Theblurr co-founder & CEO Shamsuddin Jasani. “At Theblurr, where we combine AI with human intelligence, he will be key in driving creative excellence with speed and purpose.”

    Commenting on his appointment, Sai said, “Theblurr is the kind of agency I’ve always wanted to build a creative playground fueled by technology and purpose. From campaign thinking to platform storytelling, I’m excited to create work that is culturally alive, globally scalable, and commercially impactful.”

    (If you are an Anime fan and love Anime like Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Dan Da Dan and Slime, Buy your favourite Anime merchandise on AnimeOriginals.com.)

  • Hathway Bhawani stays tuned in with steady Q1 despite revenue static

    Hathway Bhawani stays tuned in with steady Q1 despite revenue static

    MUMBAI: Even in the choppy waters of cable and broadband, Hathway Bhawani has kept its wires untangled. Hathway Bhawani Cabletel & Datacom Ltd reported a modest consolidated net profit of Rs 0.82 lakh for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, according to its unaudited financial results approved by the board on July 14. This marks a sharp dip from Rs 29.03 lakh in the previous quarter, but a turnaround from a net loss of Rs 11.41 lakh in the corresponding quarter last year.

    While revenue from operations inched up marginally by 1 per cent year-on-year to Rs 60.91 lakh, total income for the quarter stood at Rs 61.17 lakh. The company’s share of profit from its joint venture, Hathway Bhawani NDS Network Ltd, contributed Rs 0.27 lakh to the bottom line this quarter.

    Operating expenses remained broadly stable, with feed charges at Rs 22.29 lakh, employee benefit expenses at Rs 11.55 lakh, and other expenses slightly lower year-on-year at Rs 17.10 lakh. However, deferred tax and a short provision of Rs 1.46 lakh for earlier years dragged down the profit after tax to a net loss of Rs 0.77 lakh. The company also recorded a minor actuarial gain of Rs 0.05 lakh from remeasurement of benefit plans.

    On the standalone front, the picture remained similar revenue matched the group’s performance at Rs 60.91 lakh, but net loss widened slightly to Rs 1.04 lakh due to the same tax adjustments.

    The company also addressed long-standing telecom licensing fee demands totalling Rs 4,130.38 lakh from the Department of Telecommunications, reaffirming its legal confidence and reiterating that no provision was necessary based on legal opinion.

    While the earnings per share stood at a flat Rs (0.01), the company closed the quarter with stability on most operating metrics. In a sector where volatility often rules the screen, Hathway Bhawani continues to keep the static at bay even if the signal isn’t quite booming just yet.

    (If you are an Anime fan and love Anime like Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Dan Da Dan and Slime, Buy your favourite Anime merchandise on AnimeOriginals.com.)