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Category: News Headline

  • Suniel Shetty returns, Jackie Shroff joins the mayhem in Hunter Season 2

    Suniel Shetty returns, Jackie Shroff joins the mayhem in Hunter Season 2

    MUMBAI: The streets of Mumbai are set to rumble again, and this time, there’s twice the firepower. Amazon MX Player, Amazon’s free streaming service, has just dropped the high-octane teaser for Hunter Season 2, reuniting fans with Suniel Shetty’s brooding cop Vikram Sinha and introducing Jackie Shroff in a role that’s as unpredictable as it is powerful.

    Directed by Prince Dhiman and Alok Batra, and produced by Yoodlee Films (the film division of Saregama India), the new season promises a bigger, bolder, and bloodier ride through the murky alleys of crime and vengeance, this time with international stakes and a villain who’s all charm, chaos, and calculated menace.

    From Mumbai to Thailand, the teaser teases a wild chase high on drama, heavy on action, and packed with the kind of Bollywood masala that fans crave. Also starring Anusha Dandekar and Barkha Bisht, Season 2 of Hunter picks up where the first left off: Vikram Sinha is back, but this mission is deeply personal, and the shadows are darker than ever.

    In typical MX Player style, Hunter S2 will stream for free, making it easily accessible across the Amazon shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV, Smart TVs, Airtel Xstream, and the MX Player app.

    Get ready for fists, fury, and full-blown face-offs because Vikram Sinha’s not just chasing justice, he’s outrunning his past.

  • JioStar scores big with BFSI brands as Wimbledon 2025 serves up ‘affluence in motion’

    JioStar scores big with BFSI brands as Wimbledon 2025 serves up ‘affluence in motion’

    MUMBAI: The strawberries may be fresh, but the money is fresher. Wimbledon 2025, streaming on JioHotstar and airing on Star Sports Select 1 & 2 and Star Sports 2, has turned into a grand slam not just for tennis but for India’s financial marketing elite.

    BFSI brands have come out swinging this season, emerging as the top-performing category in advertiser participation, with a 50 per cent surge in client count over last year’s edition. From mutual funds and banking to insurance and fintech, Wimbledon has become the new turf where India’s money men are building brand muscle and not just with return-on-investment shots.

    The campaign, branded ‘Affluence in Motion’, leans into the Wimbledon mystique — tradition, prestige and quiet power, aligning beautifully with the trust and stability that BFSI brands aim to project. The data agrees:

    ●    65 per cent of JioHotstar viewers in 2024 came from NCCS A

    ●    55 per cent were from the top 8 metros,

    ●    and 53 per cent owned phones worth over Rs 25,000 — a dream demo for financial institutions hunting for affluent, digital-savvy consumers.

    While past Wimbledons were about forehands and finesse, this one is about funds and fixed deposits. Leading the charge are ICICI Mutual Funds, who headline the BFSI presence alongside a rising roster of insurers and NBFCs.

    Four brands have taken standalone contextual spots, smartly syncing their messaging with pre-match insights, commentary cut-ins, and even the Wimbledon Daily Live show beamed from London’s hallowed Centre Court. BFSI brands have found an especially elegant rhythm here — contextual ads pushing everything from retirement plans to wealth management, all draped in white and green Wimbledon glory.

    Digital remains the heavyweight champ. With 35 per cent year-on-year growth in JioHotstar consumption and a 50 per cent spike in digital advertiser count, the platform continues to offer unmatched reach among India’s wealthy urbanites. And that’s before factoring in connected TV viewership, which doubled versus 2023.

    The JioStar Network has drawn 17 new advertisers this year and retained 11 brands from Wimbledon 2024, with a 1.5x jump in revenue from these returning players. Automotive and BFSI brands are stealing the spotlight, but FMCG, alcobev, and luxury fittings are also swinging hard from Mahindra Electric, William Grant, HPCL, Jaquar, ICICI Mutual Funds to Amul, Haier, Kohler, Black and White.

    For the first time ever, Wimbledon 2025 has secured Presenting Sponsors across both TV and digital, marking a watershed moment in its commercial evolution and proving that in the high-stakes game of brand tennis, the financial sector has truly aced it.

    As the tennis legends serve fire on-court, India’s financial giants are volleying for attention off it, proving that at Wimbledon 2025, it’s not just the racquets that are making noise.

  • Wealth of Experience as Debasish Mohanty Joins The Wealth Company

    Wealth of Experience as Debasish Mohanty Joins The Wealth Company

    MUMBAI: They say knowledge compounds like interest and The Wealth Company just made a high-return hire. The Wealth Company has appointed Debasish Mohanty as Chief Strategy Officer for its Asset Management Arm, tapping into his 30-plus years of deep domain expertise in India’s mutual fund industry. Known among peers as a walking encyclopaedia of financial strategy, Mohanty’s arrival marks a pivotal chapter for the organisation as it aims to scale with innovation and insight.

    Mohanty’s illustrious career includes leadership roles at UTI AMC, where he served as president and national head of sales, while also overseeing policy research, business transformation, corporate communication, and marketing functions. His name is also familiar in policy circles, having played an active role on various AMFI committees including those on operations & compliance, ARN, and common platform.

    Currently serving as an independent director at LIC Pension Funds Ltd., regulated by PFRDA, Mohanty brings not just experience but a rare combination of academic rigour and practical strategy. A postgraduate and M.Phil in Economics from JNU, he also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in securities law, and wears many certified hats: CFP, CWM, and CAIIB. His executive education portfolio spans Kellogg School of Management, ISB Hyderabad, and IIM Ahmedabad.

    In his new role, Mohanty will steer growth, innovation, and long-term value creation at The Wealth Company’s asset management operations. “My focus will be on strategic initiatives that elevate the company’s position in the market,” he said, underscoring plans to work closely with leadership on risk mitigation, opportunity identification, and stakeholder returns.

    The Wealth Company MD & CEO Madhu Lunawat described Mohanty as “the encyclopedia of the mutual fund industry,” lauding his ability to operate seamlessly across public, private, and foreign fund categories.

    With this appointment, The Wealth Company signals its intention to play the long game backed by a strategist who knows the terrain better than most.

  • Ad to the Future Google revs up AI to rewrite the rules of marketing

    Ad to the Future Google revs up AI to rewrite the rules of marketing

    MUMBAI: Who needs a crystal ball when your ads can now predict, create and convert, all thanks to AI? At its annual Google Marketing Live event, Google rolled out a wave of AI-powered advertising tools designed to flip the marketing playbook from reactive to proactive. From smarter bidding and creative generation to shoppable TV and AI-driven search ads, the tech giant is giving Indian marketers a suite of tools to anticipate consumer behaviour, not just respond to it.

    “The purchase journey isn’t a straight line anymore, it’s a maze of swipes, scrolls and searches,” said Google India MD for digital first businesses Roma Datta Chobey. “Our new launches help brands cut through the chaos, scale creativity, and reach the right people at the right time with precision and impact.”

    Here’s what’s turning heads:
    Smarter Shopping, Streamlined Selling

    ●    Shoppable CTV lets users buy products right from their smart TVs using QR codes or “send to phone” options.

    ●    Youtube Masthead is now shoppable on mobile, giving brands high-visibility, click-to-cart impact.

    ●    Ads in AI Overviews will soon roll out in India, inserting Search and Shopping ads directly within AI-generated search summaries.

    AI-Powered Creativity with “Generated for You”

    ●    Set to launch in Product Studio later this year, this tool will generate images and videos based on product catalogues, trends, and brand identity no design skills required.

    Performance Max Retention Only Mode

    ●    In beta in India, this lets brands focus solely on re-engaging existing users. Swiggy tested it and saw a two-thirds reduction in cost for bringing users back to the app.

    AI Max for Search

    ●    Now live in India, it’s a one-click booster that learns from your site and existing keywords to serve smarter, more relevant ads. Cashify reported a 15 per cent conversion bump in early trials.

    Smart Bidding, Smarter Insights

    ●    A major bidding update now helps brands uncover less obvious conversion paths, with testers reporting an 18 per cent increase in new query categories that convert.

    Meridian Gets an Upgrade

    ●    Google’s open-source Marketing Mix Model (MMM) will now include a dynamic scenario planner and more frequent access to key reach/frequency data via API.

    AI Agents in Ads & Analytics

    ●    New “agentic” AI tools will soon help with campaign setup, keyword strategy, and performance reporting inside Google Ads and Analytics, using conversational prompts and visuals.

    For early adopters like Swiggy, the tools have already shown impact across the funnel from creative acceleration to better cost efficiency and growth in new user cohorts.

    As marketers juggle non-linear journeys across screens, platforms and attention spans, Google’s AI arsenal aims to give them not just tools, but an edge where insights spark action, and creativity scales without compromise.

    In the race for attention, Google isn’t just offering ads. It’s offering answers.

  • Ad Guru Turns Reel Hero with Mythical Thriller for the Masses

    Ad Guru Turns Reel Hero with Mythical Thriller for the Masses

    MUMBAI: From 30-second ad epics to full-length cinematic spectacle Prasoon Pandey is finally making the leap, and it’s nothing short of mythic. Prasoon Pandey, one of the most celebrated names in Indian advertising, is stepping behind the camera for his feature film debut, a massy, contemporary mythological thriller backed by Movieverse Studios and Ellipsis Entertainment. Known globally for his award-winning commercials, Pandey now swaps storyboards for the silver screen, bringing with him decades of visual flair and narrative punch.

    Written by Vaibhav Vishal, the yet-untitled film blends cultural depth with modern storytelling, and promises to push genre boundaries with its unique tone and scale.

    “This isn’t just a directorial debut, it’s a long-overdue cinematic event,” said Movieverse owner IN10 Media Network MD Aditya Pittie. “We’ve waited for a story that matched Prasoon’s legendary vision. This one had him hooked and us too.”

    Pandey, who has 17 Cannes Lions, Clio, and D&AD awards to his credit, is the first Asian to feature on Campaign Magazine’s 100 most influential advertising filmmakers list. “I wasn’t going to do a film just for the sake of it. This script hit differently,” he said. “It stayed with me, long after I’d read it. That’s when I knew this is the one.”

    Movieverse Studios CEO Vivek Krishnani echoed the excitement: “We’re committed to cinematic storytelling that stirs the soul and stuns the eye. With Prasoon and Ellipsis on board, this film promises both.”

    The film also marks another milestone for Ellipsis Entertainment, whose partners Tanuj Garg and Atul Kasbekar have a knack for scouting offbeat-yet-relatable stories. “Prasoon’s been a friend and a creative icon. It took us years and many scripts but we’re thrilled this is the one that finally got a yes,” said Kasbekar.

    Comparisons with ad-filmmaker-turned-directors like Ram Madhvani and Suresh Triveni are inevitable, but Pandey’s visual grammar and storytelling signature remain in a league of their own.

    Casting is currently underway, and the makers promise a stellar ensemble to match the story’s ambitious canvas.

    For now, one thing is certain: when an ad legend like Prasoon Pandey steps into the world of cinema, the lines between art, mass appeal, and mythology are about to blur in the best possible way.

  • Fenesta cracks open a leaky laugh this monsoon with its new film

    Fenesta cracks open a leaky laugh this monsoon with its new film

    MUMBAI: Fenesta is bringing humour to the downpour with a new campaign that finds comedy in a common monsoon catastrophe, a leaky window.

    Titled ‘Keep the Rain Out with Fenesta Windows & Doors’, the film is the latest instalment of the brand’s ongoing ‘Fine. Finer. Fenesta’ campaign. Conceptualised and directed by Titus Upputuru, the spot captures a hilariously relatable moment, a man returns home to a puddle on the floor, blames the family dog for an indoor accident, only to discover the real culprit is a dodgy old window.

    Cue punchline: “Windows leaking again? Time to switch to Fenesta.”

    Delivered with deadpan wit and monsoon flair, the ad makes a splash while spotlighting Fenesta’s engineered-for-India windows built to keep water, noise and dust out with advanced multi-chamber profiles and airtight seals.

    Speaking of the campaign, Fenesta head of marketing, Susmita Nag said, “This campaign takes a playful spin on a very real seasonal concern. At Fenesta, we believe the rains should be a joy, not a hassle. ‘Fine. Finer. Fenesta’ isn’t just about showcasing our windows; it’s about highlighting the assurance they bring. Our precision-engineered uPVC and aluminium systems are built for Indian homes and Indian monsoons with multi-chambered profiles and advanced sealing that guard against water seepage, noise, and dust. It’s where cutting-edge engineering meets everyday comfort, keeping your home dry, peaceful, and elegant, rain or shine.”

    Director Titus Upputuru added, “I absolutely love the rains—they bring romance, chai, and pakoras. But without good windows and doors, they can cause havoc indoors. That’s where Fenesta comes in, ensuring rains stay beautiful. It was a joy directing this film— From directing Charlie to showing how maids are enjoying a whole new power and attitude in urban households. A super fun shoot all around!”

    With rising consumer demand for durable, design-forward home solutions that hold up in every season, Fenesta’s film lands as both a reminder and a nudge if your window leaks more than your roof, it might be time to call in the experts.

    Now live across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, the campaign marries brand wit with seasonal insight, proving once again that sometimes, the best way to fix a leak is with a laugh.

  • Premier League kicks off creative goal with Adobe AI-powered fandom

    Premier League kicks off creative goal with Adobe AI-powered fandom

    MUMBAI: It’s not just the players bringing flair to the pitch now, thanks to Adobe, the fans can too. In a landmark partnership announced at Adobe Summit London, Adobe and the Premier League have teamed up to supercharge the world’s most-watched football league with AI-driven digital experiences putting the power of creativity and personalisation directly in the hands of its 1.8 billion global fans.

    With tools like Adobe Express and Firefly generative AI integrated into the League’s platforms, fans will soon be designing custom Fantasy Premier League kits, badges and standout social content with just a few prompts. Whether it’s editing matchday photos or crafting short-form highlight reels, Adobe is helping fans channel their inner creative midfielder.

    For the 2025/26 season, Fantasy Premier League managers can personalise their team identities using Adobe Express, complete with exclusive Premier League templates and safe-to-use generative AI trained on licensed and public domain content. This marks the first time fans can visually express their support on such a bespoke level taking personal fandom to a whole new pitch.

    But the partnership doesn’t stop at creativity. Using Adobe’s Experience Platform, Real-Time Customer Data Platform, and Journey Optimizer, the League can now send personalised notifications, geolocation-based updates, and even tailor fan experiences across web, app and email based on individual behaviours and preferences.

    For example, Fantasy managers might receive instant updates on player performances or push notifications triggered when they enter a stadium. With Adobe’s AI agents, the League can generate on-brand content and marketing at scale, serve hyper-relevant video clips (say, just your favourite striker’s best goals), and analyse which content fosters deeper loyalty.

    “Adobe AI is helping fans shape how they experience and share the drama of the Premier League,” said Adobe enterprise CMO Rachel Thornton. “Whether it’s Fantasy content or real-time alerts, we’re putting creativity in every supporter’s hands.”

    Premier League chief commercial officer Will Brass added, “This partnership lets us truly tailor the experience for fans however they follow the game, wherever they are in the world.”

    From tactical data to TikTok-ready content, the Premier League’s digital playbook is evolving and this time, the fans are writing the script.

  • OPPO India launches second edition of LUMO photography awards

    OPPO India launches second edition of LUMO photography awards

    MUMBAI: Oppo India is back with its click-worthy competition — the second edition of the ‘Photography Awards’ powered by Lumo, a rebranded version of the company’s “Imagine IF” platform. And this year, things just got culturally cooler with a brand-new category: ‘Super Culture Moment’, in collaboration with Discovery Channel.

    Under the theme ‘Super Every Moment’, the contest calls on budding photographers to capture life’s everyday brilliance through the lens of an Oppo smartphone. From street snaps to cultural moments, the awards aim to blend storytelling with shutter speed, powered by Oppo’s cutting-edge imaging tech.

    Oppo India head of product & digital marketing Sushant Vashistha said, “Lumo is our ode to creativity — a platform where every image tells a story, and every story becomes a moment of magic. The first edition, Imagine iF, received thousands of stunning submissions from across India. It laid the foundation for this year’s competition, powered by Lumo. This season, we aim to celebrate not just the outcome but the creative journey behind every powerful visual, powered by Oppo’s imaging technology.”

    Joining the jury bench are Joseph Radhik, ace wedding photographer, and Vikram Channa, vice president of Warner Bros. Discovery, ensuring every frame is judged with both artistic depth and cultural nuance.

    Nine categories including Super Snap, Youth, Me, Live, Vibe, Story, Connection, Environs and the newly added Culture, offer participants plenty of room to play. Round 1 will shortlist 50 finalists, who’ll then go head-to-head in Round 2 using the Oppo Find X8 Pro for a real-world creative challenge.

    Following seven lakh entries globally in 2023 and 34,000 entries from India in 2024, the 2025 edition is shaping up to be a blockbuster. Entries are now open for Indian citizens aged 18 and above. All you need is a keen eye, a great story, and an Oppo in hand. Visit lumo.oppo.com/in to get in the frame.

  • Ram Madhvani takes a virtual leap of faith with India’s first mythological AI-VR universe

    Ram Madhvani takes a virtual leap of faith with India’s first mythological AI-VR universe

    MUMBAI: Ram Madhvani, the maverick behind Neerja and Aarya, is swapping film reels for headsets with the launch of Equinox Virtual — India’s first AI-powered spiritual and mythological VR content universe. Kicking things off is a jaw-dropping AI-driven adaptation of the Bhagavad Gita, already in private preview and promising to teleport audiences straight into the heart of the Kurukshetra battlefield, all without leaving their living room.

    But this is no one-off experiment. With 24 more films in the pipeline and an audacious target of 100 VR titles by 2028, Madhvani is building what could be the most ambitious fusion of technology, tradition, and theology ever attempted in Indian entertainment.

    “In theatres, we experience magic. At home, we have scale and comfort. But in personal viewing, we are often watching stories on split screens, sharing attention with emails, calls, or messages,” said Equinox Virtual co-founder Ram Madhvani. “With VR, especially powered by AI, we have a chance to restore the sanctity of immersive storytelling—even in a solitary experience. And what better canvas than our own epics that have lived through centuries—spiritual texts that remain culturally resonant to this day?”

    The Equinox slate isn’t just myth for myth’s sake, it’s a meditative deep-dive into spirituality, devotion, and Indian culture, designed for the headset generation. Think cosmic narratives, AI-built temples, immersive meditations, and Gita verses wrapped in digital wonder.

    Known for his Cannes Lions, National Awards, and a knack for turning ideas into impact, Madhvani is now scripting what may be his boldest chapter yet, one where Ram meets RAM, and dharma goes digital.

    (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.)

     

  • Maybelline drops Teddy Tint bomb in Mumbai with CGI-powered Dabbawala

    Maybelline drops Teddy Tint bomb in Mumbai with CGI-powered Dabbawala

    MUMBAI: Maybelline New York and Posterscope India have painted Mumbai nude — literally and virtually — with the launch of Super Stay Teddy Tint – Nude Drop, a plush 11-shade lip tint collection that just got a larger-than-life debut with hyperreal CGI billboards.

    The campaign, brought to life by dentsu’s OOH specialist Posterscope, delivered a digital-first spectacle by fusing cutting-edge CGI with the warm nostalgia of Mumbai’s iconic Dabbawalas. These everyday heroes became the unexpected — and loveable — ambassadors of soft glam, starring in a seven-day CGI production that transformed the city’s skyline into a moving makeup marvel.

    Designed to tug at the heart and scroll-stopping enough to trend, the visual narrative reimagined the Teddy Tint’s soft-but-bold vibe through the lens of Mumbai’s cultural pride, marrying beauty with believability in a way that felt rooted yet global.

    Posterscope India CEO Imtiyaz Vilatra said, “This campaign was built on insight-led storytelling that connects emotionally and visually. CGI gave us the flexibility to craft an experience that felt both imaginative and rooted in local emotion. Bringing together a global beauty icon and an everyday Mumbai symbol allowed us to tell a story that was personal, timely, and unforgettable.”

    With a mix of emotional storytelling and tech swagger, Maybelline’s campaign wasn’t just lipstick on a billboard, it was a CGI glow-up for the Indian beauty playbook.

    (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.)