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Tag: Viren D’Silva

  • Good Flippin’ Burgers plays the K-card with Squid Game-inspired menu

    Good Flippin’ Burgers plays the K-card with Squid Game-inspired menu

    MUMBAI: Good Flippin’ Burgers has entered the arena with a high-stakes culinary twist, launching ‘The Korean Krossover’, a limited-edition menu in partnership with Netflix India to celebrate the much-awaited finale of Squid Game Season 3.

    The brand’s cheeky, flavour-first ethos finds new expression in this K-food drop, riding the Hallyu wave that’s sweeping India. From BTS beats to bingeable K-dramas, Korean culture is everywhere — and this tie-up flips that fandom into flavour.

    Rolling out seven all-new menu items with names like Bean Korean, The Cheesy Oppa, and Chikkin Burger 456, the collection pays homage to Squid Game’s adrenaline-soaked universe, with a spicy wink. Think signature sauces, curated wraps, and sides like Korean Tender Bender and Kimchi Spiced Churros that bring the Seoul heat to the streets of India.

    In a slick online-first strategy, the drop debuted exclusively on Swiggy for seven days. Each Krossover order came with Squid Game-style collectibles (think Ddakji, Marbles and Stackers), making the experience more than just a bite — it was a full-blown fandom fest. The collectibles are now making their way to dine-in outlets too.

    Speaking on the launch, Good Flippin’ Burgers, co-founder Viren D’Silva said, “We’re seeing a massive spike in consumer demand for Korean-inspired flavours, both on menus and across cultures. From food delivery data to social chatter, it’s clear that people are actively seeking out these experiences. At Good Flippin’, we are responding to this wave with creativity and purpose. Our collaboration with Squid Game Season 3 gave us the perfect canvas to bring together food, fandom, and flavour in a way that feels fresh and relevant. The Korean Krossover is a cultural celebration, a true fan experience and above all, a love letter to the people who keep showing up for us.”

    Available across all Good Flippin’ Burgers stores and major delivery platforms, The Korean Krossover is not just another menu, it’s a flavour-fuelled celebration of pop culture, served with a generous side of drama.

    Since its Bandra beginnings in 2019, Good Flippin’ has scaled up to 60 stores across India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. But with its latest pop-culture x palate crossover, the brand proves it’s more than a QSR — it’s a mood, a movement, and a masterclass in turning fandom into food.

  • Tamil Thalaivas launches initiatives to promote kabaddi

    Tamil Thalaivas launches initiatives to promote kabaddi

    MUMBAI: Star India’s move to launch Star Sports Tamil has served as a launch-pad to consolidate its foothold in the Tamil market for its new initiatives. The newest franchise in Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), Tamil Thalaivas (TT), is taking full advantage of the channel and is spreading local love for sports across the state through its year-round initiatives.

    The franchise spent Rs 3.73 crore in the 2018 auctions by retaining the trio of Ajay Thakur (Rs 76.23 lakhs), C Arun (Rs 36.3 lakhs) and Amit Hooda (Rs 69.3 lakhs) before the auction forming the core for the side. It will host a slew of on-ground properties in its second year of operations with a goal to further the southern state’s rich kabaddi legacy.

    With a plan of year-round initiative, TT has started Corporate Kabaddi Fest which will be held at the Express Avenue Mall in Chennai from 17-19 August. The fest will have 32 corporates participating, including TCS, IBM, Renault, Cognizant, Apollo Tyres, Aradhaya Gold, Coca Cola, Ford Motors, HDFC Bank and more.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Tamil Thalaivas CEO Viren D’Silva said, “Our focus is on getting four partners for year-round activation and those four partners will get mileage and exposure for all our events.”

    After an overwhelming response to the residential academy, the franchise has also launched 20 schools of excellence which provide after-school training in Tamil.

    The corporate fest will not be live telecast, but will have seven episodes of one hour each at the prime-time. It will have both men’s and women’s teams participating for the glory. “IdhuNammaAatam” (this is our sport) is Tamil Thalaivas’ new expression for kabaddi.

    Elaborating on the team’s mission, D’Silva added, “We have lined up a number of exciting initiatives, which we will build year on year. We want to give back to the fans and communities who have given us so much love. Through these initiatives, we are inviting Tamil Nadu to be a part of every moment both on and off the mat because, in the end, IdhuNammaAatam – then, now and, forever.”

    The Corporate Kabaddi Fest will also feature Tamil movie stars, Vishnu Vishal and Andrea Jeremiah who, as “chief motivating officers”, will be cheering for the corporate teams. In a first, Tamil Thalaivas will also provide professional-level training to registered corporate teams in the two weekends preceding the event.

    A Star India spokesperson said, “Tamil Nadu has a rich sporting culture, that underpins the popularity of various sporting leagues including TNPL, Vivo PKL, IPL 2018, Hero ISL among others. Since Tamil Thalaivas was first introduced in season five of PKL, they have charted various initiatives such as the grassroots programme to build deeper affinity for the sport across the state. As the official broadcaster, we endeavor to bring alive truly inspiring and engaging stories from their initiative, Corporate Kabaddi Fest, which will be a part of the run-up to a bigger, more exciting new season six.”

    The Tamil Thalaivas’ kabaddi caravan will continue with Street Kabaddi and Tamil Thalaivas State Tour in the coming months.

  • Pro Kabaddi League concludes auction for season six

    Pro Kabaddi League concludes auction for season six

    MUMBAI: Vivo Pro Kabaddi League successfully concluded the player auction in Mumbai. Day two was dominated by players and category-B stars, with franchises finding the perfect balance between experienced and young players to craft winning teams.

    The first day of the auction saw the Rs 1 crore barrier breached six times with Monu Goyat leading the way to Vivo Pro Kabaddi history.

    The top five players of the second day’s auction are Prashant Kumar Rai, sold for Rs 79 lakh to UP Yoddha, followed by Chandran Ranjit to Dabang Delhi for Rs 61.25 lakh. The third player in the list is Vikash Khandola bought by Haryana Steelers for Rs 47 lakh while Dharamraj Cheralathan went to UMumba for Rs 46 lakh. Vishal Mane will play for Dabang Delhi and earned Rs 45 lakh.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Bengal Warriors CEO Sandip Tarkas says that the team has managed to fill all the gaps which it had in the previous season and has also retained its strength. “We have retained some of our last year brands like Big Bazaar and Tasty Treats. We broke-even last season itself and covered all our cost. Coming season we are expecting higher expenses with the festive season starting at the time of season six. We are looking at 20-25 per cent increase in sponsorship this year.”

    Tamil Thalaivas CEO Viren D’Silva told Indiantelevision.com that its aim is consistency. “We are focusing on getting three strategic partners for a long term. We have started a residential academy for 70 students with free education, training and housing. We are not looking at this business as a break-even business, our objective is very clear, building the human kabaddi association. Money and profitability are the bi-products. Profitability is not far away. We have aggressive targets on revenue.”

    Puneri Paltans boosted its raiding unit this year by buying Nitin Tomar. “We already have Force Motors as our title sponsor and the deal will continue till season seven of PKL. Our inventory apart from title sponsor is available currently which are almost nine spots. This season is going to be the break-even year for the franchise. We are in advance talks with some of the last year’s brands and will mostly close the deal with them,” said Puneri Paltans CEO Kailash Kandpal while speaking to us.

    A total of 181 players were sold in the two days auction process.