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  • Zee Action shifts into high gear with Night Drive’s thrilling TV premiere

    Zee Action shifts into high gear with Night Drive’s thrilling TV premiere

    MUMBAI: A romantic night out, a wrong turn, and boom, Zee Action’s latest thriller takes off like a bullet on blacktop. Zee Action is revving up its engines for the World Television Premiere of Night Drive, a high-octane crime thriller that steers straight into suspense and doesn’t ease off the pedal. Set to air on Tuesday, 8 July at 7:30 pm , this pulse-pounding Malayalam film (dubbed in Hindi) promises viewers a full tank of action, intrigue, and paisa-vasool entertainment.

    Directed by Vysakh, best known for the 2016 blockbuster Pulimurugan, Night Drive starts with a simple premise, a young couple on a late-night drive. But what begins as a quiet evening quickly swerves into a collision course with danger. Cue the crime syndicates, high-speed chases, and a relentless cop who’s as sharp as he is intimidating.

    The film features a stellar trio: Roshan Mathew brings layered intensity, Anna Ben offers quiet strength with screen-fresh charm, and Indrajith Sukumaran delivers a pitch-perfect performance as a no-nonsense police officer on the hunt. Penned by Abhilash Pillai, the film balances edge-of-the-seat moments with emotional undercurrents, all set against a gritty, urban backdrop.

    Clocking in a relentless pace, Night Drive doesn’t let its foot off the gas. Every scene accelerates the tension, keeping viewers strapped in till the very end. With plot twists popping like speed bumps on a slick road, it’s a must-watch for action lovers who like their thrillers with bite.

    So, if you’re in the mood for adrenaline, suspense, and a good ol’ game of cat and mouse Night Drive is the ride you didn’t know you needed.

    Catch the premiere on Zee Action, 8 July at 7:30 pm. Buckle up. Things are about to get intense.

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  • Tilda stirs hearts at Delhi airport with ‘Feel Home’ campaign for Indians flying abroad

    Tilda stirs hearts at Delhi airport with ‘Feel Home’ campaign for Indians flying abroad

    MUMBAI: Tilda has cooked up a clever campaign to win over hearts — and carry-ons. Titled ‘Feel Home with Tilda’, the emotion-led activation targets Indian travellers at one of their most vulnerable moments: departure.

    Now live at New Delhi International Airport’s departure terminal, the campaign greets outbound travellers with large-format billboards just as they brace for their goodbyes. It’s not just a farewell, it’s a warm reminder that home can travel with you.

    Rooted in insight and soaked in sentiment, the campaign taps into the emotional weight food carries for Indians abroad. With rice often serving as the ultimate comfort cue, Tilda positions itself as more than just a kitchen staple, it’s a piece of home, always waiting on the other side of immigration.

    According to Ebro India, managing director, Graham Carter said, “Indians have always associated rice with tradition, care, and family. With the ‘Feel Home with Tilda’ campaign, we wanted to capture those small yet significant rituals that accompany every Indian goodbye — from tilak to kheer — where rice quietly says the things that words can’t. Tilda is proud to be a companion to the Indian diaspora, helping them feel rooted at home even when they’re thousands of miles away.”

    Also, Ebro India, head of marketing, Puneet Kapoor said, “As a brand rooted in Indian soil and celebrated worldwide, we saw a beautiful opportunity to connect with NRIs right as they step out into a new world. Even when we leave India, we carry our culture with us through the festivals we celebrate, the rituals we follow, and the food we share. And rice, especially, remains at the heart of every Indian celebration, binding generations across borders. This is our way of saying, no matter how far you’ve gone or how long you’ve been away, that feeling of home travels with you. And in that sense, Tilda becomes more than just rice; it’s a slice of home, served with love.”

    Speaking about the campaign, StoryBoats CEO Antony Rajkumar said, “This campaign is for every Indian who packs more than just clothes, who carries memories, spices, photos, and emotions. At the heart of this campaign is a simple but powerful insight: when you’re away from home, it’s the little things you end up missing the most. And sometimes, those little things come in a Tilda pack. That’s what Tilda is, a quiet, comforting reminder, wherever you land, a taste of home will always find you.”

    The campaign is being amplified across digital and social channels, reaching both outbound travellers and settled NRIs. Backed by performance marketing and community outreach, Tilda is looking to build long-term brand stickiness among globally mobile Indians who crave both authenticity and connection.

    So the next time you’re wheeling your bag past Gate 14, and you spot a familiar blue Tilda pack staring back at you, know this: you may be leaving home, but home isn’t leaving you.

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  • HT Labs inks bold MoU with The Doers Company

    HT Labs inks bold MoU with The Doers Company

    MUMBAI: HT Labs, the innovation and product arm of HT Media, is going global. In a high-powered move blending startups, strategy, and smart cities, the company has signed a strategic MoU with The Doers Company, Europe’s leading innovation platform behind flagship events like Reflect Festival and the upcoming Doers Summit.

    The deal, signed at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) under the patronage of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), sets the stage for a three-nation innovation corridor spanning India, Cyprus, and the UAE—with OTTplay, India’s first AI-powered OTT aggregator, at its core.

    What’s on the menu? Access to European innovation networks, cross-border pilots, founder-investor matchmaking, and a high-impact launchpad via Cyprus into Europe and Dubai for media-tech experiments in smart city infrastructure.

    The timing is razor-sharp. It follows a wave of diplomatic activity, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Cyprus and a tech-heavy Cypriot delegation’s Dubai mission—featuring chief scientist of Cyprus, Demetris Skourides, who has become a key catalyst in this three-way partnership.

    Commenting on the partnership, Skourides remarked,

    “I would like to thank Mr. Avinash for his trust in our ecosystem and look forward to further profiling how Cyprus and other investors can benefit from bidirectional value creation. Such collaborations are the foundational pillars that build the future.”

    Dubai Silicon Oasis deputy director general Badr Buhannad said,

    “Dubai Silicon Oasis was envisioned as a smart, future-ready hub for innovation, talent, and entrepreneurship. Hosting the Doers Summit in partnership with The Doers Company aligns perfectly with Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33 to position the city among the world’s leading digital and economic centres. The Summit reinforces our mission to attract forward-looking ventures and connect European and Middle Eastern innovators—accelerating cross-border collaboration in support of the UAE’s vision for digital economy growth and global competitiveness.”

    HT Labs co-founder & CEO Avinash Mudaliar added, “At HT Labs, this isn’t just an expansion—it’s a strategic leap into the future. Dubai Silicon Oasis offers the ideal launchpad to take India’s most disruptive, AI-driven innovations to the world. At the core of our work is TaaS—Technology-as-a-Service—delivering scalable, AI-powered solutions across video, apps, web, and content systems that boost engagement, unlock new revenue, and enable global growth.With our strong focus on intelligent, tech-first solutions, we see immense potential to co-create platforms that resonate globally.

    What truly elevates this journey is the camaraderie we’ve built—especially with visionaries like Demetris Skourides, chief scientist of Cyprus. His insights and spirit of collaboration have made him not just a strategic ally, but a trusted friend in our cross-border mission.

    With OTTplay leading our media-tech push, we’re excited to align with DSO’s smart city vision and deliver transformative experiences in entertainment and data intelligence. This marks a defining chapter in building globally relevant platforms from India.”

    Also speaking on the occasion, The Doers Company & managing partner, zero one hundred, Dusan Duffek said, “With a young, tech-savvy population and a booming innovation ecosystem, Indian startups such as OTTplay etc. offer some of the most exciting investment opportunities globally. Similarly, startups from Europe and the Middle East are now building some of the most consequential technologies, which will have an impact not only regionally, but globally. We believe now is the time to build bridges, not borders, and connect this energy with global capital and strategic partners”.

    The Doers Company co-founder & CEO Stylianos Lambrou added, “We see a significant opportunity in India. With our growing presence in Greece, Cyprus, and now Dubai, we’re uniquely positioned to bridge the gap, providing Indian startups & companies with access to Europe, and offering European startups and companies a pathway into India. The strong relationship between my country and India gives us a powerful advantage, enabling us to amplify our impact across both regions.”

    With Cyprus positioning itself as a European gateway for Indian tech and Dubai doubling down on its digital infrastructure bets, the deal is more than just a handshake—it’s a multi-regional runway for talent, capital, and innovation to flow freely.

    Call it a soft-power play or a smart power shift—either way, HT Labs is now officially in the global game.

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  • JioStar top executive Sanjog Gupta named ICC CEO

    JioStar top executive Sanjog Gupta named ICC CEO

    MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has appointed Sanjog Gupta as its new chief executive officer, marking a bold leadership move at a time when cricket is chasing global expansion and Olympic glory. Gupta, currently CEO – sports & live experiences at JioStar, will take charge on from 7 July becoming the seventh CEO in the ICC’s history.

    A media and sports veteran with over two decades of experience, Gupta is widely credited with reshaping India’s sports broadcast landscape. He previously headed Disney Star’s sports business, playing a key role in scaling the IPL, ICC events, and launching leagues such as PKL and ISL. His appointment follows a global recruitment drive that drew over 2,500 applicants from 25 countries.

    ICC chairman Jay Shah said, “Sanjog brings extensive experience in sports strategy and commercialisation, which will be invaluable for the ICC. His deep understanding of the global sports as well as M&E landscape combined with his continued curiosity about the cricket fan’s perspective and passion for technology will prove essential in our ambition to grow the game in the coming years. Our goal is to move beyond traditional boundaries and establish cricket as a regular sport in the Olympics, growing its expanse across the world and deepening its roots in its core markets.

    We considered several exceptional candidates for this position, but the nominations committee unanimously recommended Sanjog. The ICC board directors look forward to working closely with him, and I would like to welcome him on behalf of everyone at the ICC.”

    Gupta’s selection was unanimously recommended by a nominations panel featuring ICC deputy chair Imran Khwaja, ECB chair Richard Thompson, SLC president Shammi Silva, and BCCI honorary secretary Devajit Saikia, before being approved by Shah and ratified by the full ICC board.

    Gupta said he was “honoured” to lead cricket at a pivotal moment. “It is a privilege to have this opportunity, especially at a time when cricket is poised for unprecedented growth and enjoys the passionate support of almost 2 billion fans worldwide. These are exciting times for the sport as marquee events grow in stature, commercial avenues widen and opportunities such as the women’s game scale in popularity. Cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and the rapid acceleration of technology deployment/adoption could act as force-multipliers for the Cricket movement around the world,” he concluded.

    Gupta took over as CEO of JioStar Sports in late 2024 following the Viacom18–Disney Star merger. Known for fusing business savvy with creative storytelling, he championed innovations such as multi-language coverage and digital-first formats — especially around women’s sports.

    The ICC, under his leadership, will now look to script cricket’s next global chapter.

  • Balaji Telefilms posts Rs 90 crore profit after last year’s Rs 22 crore loss

    Balaji Telefilms posts Rs 90 crore profit after last year’s Rs 22 crore loss

    MUMBAI: It’s not just the daily soaps serving plot twists Balaji Telefilms just delivered one of its own, posting a dramatic turnaround from loss to profit in its latest annual results. Balaji Telefilms Ltd., one of India’s most iconic television and content production houses, has posted a stunning financial comeback, reporting a standalone net profit of Rs 90.59 crore for the financial year ending March 31, 2025. This is a significant leap from a net loss of Rs 22.52 crore the previous year, a turnaround worthy of prime-time applause.

    According to the audited results filed with stock exchanges and published in leading dailies on 5 July, the company’s total standalone income from operations stood at Rs 45,306.92 crore for FY25. On a consolidated basis, it reported a net profit of Rs 84.57 crore, recovering sharply from a loss of Rs 26.08 crore in FY24.

    This reversal comes despite a notable dip in revenue for the final quarter ending March 2025, where standalone income dropped to Rs 8.63 crore, down from Rs 13.46 crore in the same quarter last year. Still, profits surged in the final stretch, with the company posting Rs 99.31 crore in Q4 profit, a complete U-turn from the Rs 22.52 crore loss in the comparable quarter.

    The earnings per share (EPS) rose to Rs 6.68 basic for the year, up from negative territory last year signalling restored investor confidence.

    The company, led by Chairman Jeetendra Kapoor, published the results in Financial Express and Mumbai Lakshadeep and noted that detailed financials are available on its website as well as on BSE and NSE portals.

    With flagship shows still ruling the ratings and digital spin-off ventures gaining traction, Balaji seems to have re-scripted its business drama into a tale of fiscal finesse. Whether this rebound is a one-season wonder or the start of a long-running hit remains to be seen but for now, the curtains have risen on a new chapter of profitability.

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  • Aashirvaad Salt hits the streets with ‘Iodine ka Tilak’ and theatre on wheels

    Aashirvaad Salt hits the streets with ‘Iodine ka Tilak’ and theatre on wheels

    MUMBAI: As chants of “Jai Jagannath” echo through Odisha, ITC’s Aashirvaad Salt is mixing devotion with education—quite literally. In the second edition of its ‘Iodine Ka Tilak’ campaign, the brand is rolling out a Rath Yatra special with a new spin: Patha Nataka, or street theatre, to drive home the importance of iodine in everyday meals.

    Performances by local artists—held across Puri, Bhubaneswar, Konark and Cuttack—tell a relatable tale: a worried mother, a struggling child, and a doctor’s advice to switch to iodised salt to prevent deficiency and boost brainpower. The message is clear: a smarter kitchen leads to smarter kids.

    At the centre of the initiative is the now-familiar ritual of applying ‘Iodine ka Tilak’—a sandalwood paste laced with iodine tincture—on devotees’ foreheads, blending tradition with health science in a symbolic (and literal) dose of wellness.

    ITC Ltd. COO, Staples & Adjacencies, Foods Division, Anuj Rustagi said, “With ‘Iodine Ka Tilak,’ we continue our mission to educate families about the risks of iodine deficiency. Iodized salt plays a crucial role in meeting the iodine required for brain development, especially for children. This year, through Patha Nataka, we are taking this vital message directly into communities, making it engaging, accessible, and deeply rooted in culture. Through this initiative, we hope to spark everyday action, one pinch at a time, with Aashirvaad Iodized Salt as the nutritional ally in every kitchen.”

    The “theatre van” kicked off its tour in Bhubaneswar (27- 29 June, before stopping at Grand Road in Puri on June 30. Next stops: Konark (1 July) and Cuttack (2-5 July). Devotees attending the Rath Yatra between 27 June and 5 July continue to receive the iodine tilak, while families across Odisha are encouraged to take a health pledge—and add a pinch of purpose to every meal.

    With a clever fusion of folk storytelling and functional messaging, Aashirvaad isn’t just salting your fries—it’s seasoning public health, one street at a time.

    (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.)

  • AI Plus calls time on gimmicks with Abhishek Banerjee’s smart turn

    AI Plus calls time on gimmicks with Abhishek Banerjee’s smart turn

    MUMBAI: In a world where phones shout louder than they think, AI+ Smartphone has quietly dropped the mic and a national campaign that says smart isn’t smart enough. With its first-ever national TV commercial, AI+ Smartphone isn’t just entering the Indian market, it’s barging in, taking a stand against overhyped specs and underwhelming performance. Featuring Abhishek Banerjee in full deadpan glory, the TVC slices through the noise with a crisp message: “Smart is not enough. It needs to be smart where it counts.”

    Set inside a typical mobile store scene equal parts chaos and jargon, the ad shows Banerjee’s character calmly shutting down an overzealous pitch laced with buzzwords and baffling features. In just 30 seconds, the film lays bare the industry’s addiction to gimmicks and asks the only question that really matters: Is your phone working for you, or for your data?

    This clarity has found strong resonance particularly among women. According to qualitative research cited by the brand, data privacy concerns were frequently raised unprompted, with users voicing anxiety over surveillance and leaks. AI+ is making this its ground zero: a phone that protects your data without preaching about it.

    “For us, privacy isn’t a feature, it’s foundational,” says AI+ Smartphone marketing & communications lead Archi Gogoi. “Consumers today are sharper. They know when they’re being sold to. We’re building trust, not just specs.”

    The brand’s national rollout strategy backs this claim with a multilingual media plan across nine Indian languages from Hindi and Tamil to Bengali and Odia. The film, localised for each region, will be seen across TV, OTT, and digital platforms, ensuring the message lands in the language users trust most.

    Launching on 8 July 2025, the first AI+ devices AI+ Pulse and AI+ Nova 5G promise a cleaner, simpler, and smarter experience without the noise. No circus of megapixels. No spyware dressed as smart features. Just a phone that gets out of the way and lets you live.

    With Banerjee’s dry wit and a sharp swipe at bloated marketing, AI+ isn’t trying to win the loudness war, it’s gunning for the trust deficit. And in today’s crowded, clickbait-heavy smartphone scene, that may just be the smartest move of all.
     

  • Network18 widens lead over Times Internet with digital and TV dominance

    Network18 widens lead over Times Internet with digital and TV dominance

    MUMBAI: If news were a contact sport, Network18 just scored a digital hat-trick while keeping its closest rival, Times Internet, firmly on the defensive. Network18 has cemented its status as India’s undisputed news juggernaut, clocking a towering 300.35 million unique visitors (UVs) in May 2025, according to the latest ComScore MMX data. With a 67 per cent digital reach, it outpaced Times Internet Limited by over 82 million UVs, with the latter trailing at 217.83 million UVs (48 per cent reach).

    The digital scoreboard shows a clear trend: Network18 has led for three straight months, with UVs peaking at 321 million in April and 315 million in March, compared to Times Internet’s 196 million and 203 million in the same periods.

    It’s not just the network flexing its muscles News18.com, the flagship digital brand, has been leaving The Times of India in the dust. With 245 million UVs in May, News18 maintained a consistent lead over TOI’s 200 million UVs. And the margin’s been widening: April saw News18 at 283 million UVs to TOI’s 173 million, while March posted 251 million vs 182 million, respectively.

    But the domination doesn’t stop at pixels. On television, CNN-News18 has held the No. 1 position in English news for over three consecutive years, a feat unmatched in the industry. In the Hindi news universe, News18 India remains the most-watched across the country. Add to that Network18’s reach across regional languages, and the brand’s influence begins to look not just dominant but pan-Indian.

    While digital players grapple with fractured attention spans and changing algorithms, Network18 seems to have found the secret sauce reach, consistency, and trust across screens, languages, and formats.

    In a media ecosystem obsessed with virality, Network18’s steady, multiplatform march to the top is less flash, more firepower. And in the battle for eyeballs, it’s clear who’s setting the pace and who’s still trying to catch up.

  • India’s Ad market to add nearly Rs.10,000 crore in 2025 surge: Magna report

    India’s Ad market to add nearly Rs.10,000 crore in 2025 surge: Magna report

    MUMBAI: India’s advertising industry is on track for another year of robust expansion, with new projections from Magna forecasting total ad spend to reach Rs1.37 lakh crore in 2025—a healthy 7.8 percent jump over last year. The near-Rs 10,000 crore increase keeps India among the world’s fastest-growing major ad markets, despite global economic headwinds.

    Digital platforms are driving the surge. Magna’s report estimates digital will account for more than 44 percent of all ad spends in 2025, fuelled by rapid growth in video, social, and e-commerce advertising. While TV will retain a major share of budgets, its growth is expected to be steadier as Indian audiences increasingly split their time across screens.

    Several factors are credited with powering the upward trend: brands are doubling down on digital campaigns, key state elections and a rebound in consumer sentiment are boosting traditional and online ad activity, and high-growth sectors like FMCG, e-commerce, fintech, and automotive are leading the way in campaign spending. This momentum is helping offset continued sluggishness in categories such as real estate and durables.

    Industry leaders highlight that India’s unique demographics, rapid smartphone adoption, and expanding high-speed internet access are the underlying forces reshaping the ad landscape. For marketers, the direction is clear: digital is the growth engine, but television and outdoor continue to deliver reach at a scale few other media can match.

    The upbeat outlook for 2025 follows a strong recovery in 2024, as ad spending rebounded from pandemic-era disruptions. With the market now set to break fresh records, India’s advertising ecosystem is poised for another year of innovation—redefining how brands connect with consumers nationwide.