Brands

Experience Asli Chinese: MasterChow & Ranveer Brar’s flavorful fusion

Published

2 years ago

May 7, 2024

Mumbai: Redefining the “Asli Chinese” cuisine, MasterChow, the homegrown Indian brand specialising in ready-to-cook Asian staples, recently announced an exciting collaboration with celebrity chef Ranveer Brar.

With this, MasterChow aims to revolutionise the culinary landscape, promising authenticity, innovation, and unforgettable taste experiences for households across India. This strategic partnership underscores MasterChow’s commitment to quality and genuine flavors, positioning it as the ultimate destination for authentic Chinese cuisine in the market, blending credibility, trust, and relatability into every flavorful bite.

Indiantelevision.com caught up with MasterChow founder Vidur Kataria and Chef Ranveer Brar to talk about their collaboration, bts anecdotes, growing trend of infusing Chinese flavors into various Indian recipes, and much more…

Edited Excerpts:

MasterChow founder Vidur Kataria:

On the inspiration to the collaborate with Ranveer Brar, and it strengthening MasterChow’s dedication to authentic and quality Chinese cuisine, while also enhancing its brand presence and credibility

Our collaboration with Chef Ranveer Brar signifies a shared commitment to authenticity, innovation, and uncompromising quality. By partnering with Chef Brar, we aim to elevate MasterChow as the ultimate destination for Asli Chinese cuisine in India. His culinary expertise and passion for authentic flavors perfectly align with our brand ethos, ensuring that every MasterChow product delivers an unparalleled taste experience to our customers.

On MasterChow differentiating itself from other brands in the packaged food market, particularly in the Asian cuisine sector

At MasterChow, we differentiate ourselves through our unwavering dedication to authenticity and quality. Our partnership with Chef Ranveer Brar further strengthens this commitment, solidifying our position as the go-to purveyor of “Asli Chinese” cuisine. We strive to provide consumers with not just products, but an authentic culinary experience that resonates with their taste preferences and cultural sensibilities.

On any behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the creative process of the campaign

The creative process behind the campaign was a dynamic journey filled with unique insights and personal anecdotes from the team. Ranveer, despite not being a morning person, had an interesting pre-shoot ritual of plunging his face into cool water. This ritual not only awakened his spirit but also energized and restored his senses to full power capacity, setting a vibrant tone for the day’s work.

Interestingly, Vidur’s coping mechanism for stress involved veiling it behind laughter and jokes. Despite his claims of maintaining composure under pressure, the Master Chow team could discern his underlying anxiety and respond accordingly, showcasing the delicate balance between humor and tension in creative endeavors.

Furthermore, the co-founders shared their personal and economic incentives behind the collaboration between Ranveer and Vidur, providing valuable insights into the motivations driving the partnership. Ranveer’s reflections on his childhood experiences, from the dual nature of the bowling pin to the cherished memories of his grandmother’s traditional delicacy, Choori, added a nostalgic touch to the creative process, infusing it with personal significance.

Brand’s revelation about the long-standing idea to cast Ranveer as the ambassador for MasterChow offered a glimpse into the strategic planning and foresight that shaped the campaign. This blend of personal anecdotes, strategic insights, and collaborative dynamics underscored the authenticity and depth of the campaign’s creative process, resulting in a compelling and resonant narrative.

On MasterChow ensuring the quality and freshness of its ingredients, especially considering the ready-to-cook nature of its products

Ensuring the quality and freshness of our ingredients is a top priority at MasterChow, especially considering the ready-to-cook nature of our products. We maintain rigorous sourcing practices and quality control measures to select the finest ingredients that meet our strict standards. Additionally, our state-of-the-art facilities and production processes are designed to preserve the integrity of the ingredients, ensuring that every MasterChow product delivers superior taste and freshness to our customers.

Following this campaign, consumers can expect MasterChow to continue innovating and expanding our product offerings to cater to evolving culinary trends and preferences.

Our long-term goal is to establish MasterChow as the undisputed leader in authentic Indian Chinese or Asli cuisine, offering a diverse range of high-quality products that redefine the culinary landscape in India and beyond.

Chef Ranveer Brar:

On the growing trend of infusing Chinese flavors into various Indian recipes, including street foods

The fusion of Chinese flavors into Indian street food isn’t just a trend—it’s a full-blown flavor revolution. It’s like a symphony of tastes, where every dish sings a melody of spices and seasonings from both lands, creating a harmonious culinary experience that’s nothing short of magical. This culinary alchemy has its roots in history, tracing back over 200 years when Chinese immigrants brought their culinary techniques to India, resulting in the birth of Indo-Chinese cuisine. Today, dishes like schezwan dosa and chilli chicken epitomize this delicious fusion, showcasing the vibrant exchange between two rich culinary traditions.It’s like taking your taste buds on a whirlwind tour of the bustling streets of Mumbai or Kolkata, where every corner offers a new and exciting flavor adventure.

On your approach towards balancing innovation and tradition in your culinary creations

Balancing innovation and tradition is at the core of my culinary philosophy. While I enjoy experimenting with new ingredients and techniques, I always anchor my creations in the timeless traditions and authentic flavors of Indian cuisine. This approach ensures that every dish resonates with a sense of familiarity while also delivering a unique and memorable culinary experience.

On the inspiration behind your creativity in cooking, and where do you find ideas for your new recipes and concepts

My creativity in cooking is fueled by a multitude of inspirations, ranging from childhood memories and personal experiences to travel and cultural exploration. I draw inspiration from the ingredients themselves, as well as the stories and traditions that surround them, to create dishes that tell a compelling culinary narrative and evoke a sense of nostalgia and delight.

On the role that social media plays in shaping modern food culture, and navigating its influence as a chef and influencer

Social media plays a significant role in shaping modern food culture, offering a platform for chefs and food enthusiasts to connect, share, and discover new culinary trends and experiences. As a chef and influencer, I embrace social media as a powerful tool for sharing my passion for food, engaging with my audience, and inspiring others to explore the diverse world of cuisine. However, I also recognise the responsibility that comes with this influence and strive to promote authenticity, diversity, and mindful eating practices in today’s digital landscape.

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Brands

Netflix India names Rekha Rane director of films and series marketing

Streaming giant bets on a seasoned marketer who helped build Amazon and Netflix into household names

Published

5 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Netflix has put a proven brand builder at the helm of its films and series marketing in India, naming Rekha Rane as director in a move that signals sharper focus on audience growth and cultural cut-through in one of its most hotly contested markets.

Rane steps into the role after seven years at Netflix, where she has quietly shaped how the platform sells stories to India. Her latest promotion, effective February 2026, crowns a run that spans brand, slate and product marketing across originals, licensed content and new verticals such as games.

A strategic marketing and communications professional with roughly 15 years’ experience, Rane has spent much of her career building technology-led consumer businesses and new categories, notably e-commerce and subscription video on demand. She was part of the early push that introduced Amazon.in, Prime Video and Netflix to Indian homes, then helped turn them into everyday brands.

At Netflix, she most recently served as head of brand and slate marketing for India from March 2024 to February 2026, leading teams across media and marketing for global and local content portfolios. Before that, as manager for original films and series marketing, she led IP creation and go-to-market strategy for titles including Guns and Gulaabs, Kaala Paani, The Railway Men* and The Great Indian Kapil Show, spanning both binge and weekly-release formats.

Her earlier Netflix roles covered product discovery and promotion in India and integrated campaign strategy to drive conversations around the content slate, product awareness and brand-equity metrics.

Before Netflix, Rane logged more than three years at Amazon in brand marketing roles in Bengaluru. There she handled national and regional campaigns for Amazon.in, worked on customer assistance programmes in growth geographies and contributed to the go-to-market strategy for the launch of Prime Video India.

Her career began well away from streaming. At Reliance Brands in Mumbai, she worked on retail marketing for Diesel and Superdry. A stint at Leo Burnett saw her work on primary research for P&G Tide, mapping Indian shoppers’ paths to purchase. Earlier still, at Orange in the United Kingdom, she rose from sales assistant to store manager, running a team and owning monthly P&L for a retail outlet.

The arc is telling. As global streamers fight for attention in a crowded Indian market, executives who understand both mass retail behaviour and digital habit-building are prized. Rane’s career sits at that intersection.

For Netflix, the bet is simple: in a market spoilt for choice, sharp marketing can still tilt the screen. And with Rane now leading the charge, the streamer is signalling it wants not just viewers, but fandom.

Brands

Orient Beverages pops the fizz with steady Q3 gains and rising profits

Kolkata-based beverage maker reports stronger revenues and profits for December quarter.

Published

5 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: A fizzy quarter with a steady aftertaste that’s how Orient Beverages Limited, the company that manufactures and distributes packaged drinking water under the brand name Bisleri closed the December 2025 period, as the Kolkata-based drinks maker reported improved revenues and a healthy rise in profits, signalling operational stability in a competitive beverage market.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, Orient Beverages posted standalone revenue from operations of Rs 39.98 crore, up from Rs 36.42 crore in the previous quarter and Rs 33.53 crore in the same quarter last year. Total income for the quarter stood at Rs 42.24 crore, reflecting consistent demand and stable pricing across its beverage portfolio.

Profit before tax for the quarter came in at Rs 3.47 crore, a sharp improvement from Rs 1.31 crore in the September quarter and Rs 0.39 crore a year ago. After accounting for tax expenses of Rs 0.79 crore, the company reported a net profit of Rs 2.68 crore, nearly three times the Rs 0.99 crore recorded in the preceding quarter.

On a nine-month basis, the momentum remained intact. Revenue from operations for the period ended December 31, 2025 rose to Rs 117.66 crore, compared with Rs 106.95 crore in the corresponding period last year. Net profit for the nine months climbed to Rs 5.51 crore, more than double the Rs 2.18 crore reported in the same period of the previous financial year.

The consolidated numbers told a similar story. For the December quarter, consolidated revenue from operations stood at Rs 45.06 crore, while profit after tax came in at Rs 2.06 crore. For the nine-month period, consolidated revenue touched Rs 133.57 crore, with net profit of Rs 4.49 crore, underscoring the group’s improving profitability trajectory.

Operating expenses remained largely controlled, with cost of materials, employee benefits and other expenses broadly aligned with revenue growth. The company continued to operate within a single reportable segment beverages simplifying its cost structure and reporting framework.

The unaudited financial results were reviewed by the Audit Committee and approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting held on 7 February 2026. Statutory auditors carried out a limited review and reported no material misstatements in the results.

In a market where margins are often squeezed by input costs and competition, Orient Beverages’ latest numbers suggest the company has found a reliable rhythm not explosive, but steady enough to keep the fizz alive.

Brands

BCCL profit jumps 53 per cent in FY25 as tax bill shrinks

Revenue rises 4.3 per cent to Rs 10,209.33 crore while deferred tax gain lifts bottom line sharply

Published

5 days ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

NEW DELHI: Bennett, Coleman and Company (BCCL) has posted a sparkling set of financial results for the year ended 31 March 2025, proving that there is still plenty of ink and gold left in the ledger.

Revenue from operations climbed a steady 4.3 per cent, reaching Rs 10,209.33 crore compared to Rs 9,786.44 crore the previous year. When you sprinkle in other income, which rose 8.9 per cent to Rs 949.36 crore, the total income for the media behemoth hit a healthy Rs 11,158.69 crore.

While the income grew at a modest pace, the bottom line tells a far more dramatic story. The real headline is the 53 per cent surge in annual profit. How did they pull off such a feat? While Profit Before Tax (PBT) saw a gentle nudge upward of 2.7 per cent to Rs 1,610.00 crore, it was a vanishing act by the taxman that really did the trick.

Total tax expenses plummeted by 32.4 per cent, dropping from Rs 468.76 crore down to Rs 316.97 crore. This was largely thanks to a swing in deferred tax, moving from an expense of Rs 156.02 crore in FY24 to a benefit of Rs 39.44 crore this year.

Total income rose from Rs 10,658.55 crore in FY24 to Rs 11,158.69 crore in FY25, marking a 4.7 per cent increase. Total expenses grew at a slower pace, up 3.0 per cent from Rs 9,306.06 crore to Rs 9,581.45 crore. Profit before tax inched up 2.7 per cent, moving from Rs 1,567.02 crore to Rs 1,610.00 crore. However, the standout figure was net profit, which jumped sharply by 53.0 per cent, climbing from Rs 1,042.03 crore in FY24 to Rs 1,594.73 crore in FY25.

Despite the rising costs of doing business across the globe, BCCL kept a tight grip on the purse strings. Total expenses rose by just 3.0 per cent to Rs 9,581.45 crore. By keeping costs lower than the rate of income growth, the company ensured that the final figure, a net profit of Rs 1,594.73 crore, was nothing short of a front-page sensation.

In a world of shifting digital tides, it seems the BCCL ship is not just steady, but sailing into significantly wealthier waters.