Archives 2026

As indulgence-led snacking evolves, young consumers are seeking snacks that deliver intensity, personality and share-worthy moments and not just taste. Responding to this shift, Sunfeast Wowzers from ITC Ltd. has dialled up the sensory drama with a bolder, cheesier and crunchier communication. Staying true to its core, Wowzers brings alive indulgence through its signature 28-layer cracker enrobed in an indulgent cheesy crème, creating a cracker that doesn’t just taste cheesy, but feels cheesier with every bite, taking the ‘wow’ a notch higher.

The new campaign translates this heightened product experience into a fresh, youthful film that speaks the language of young consumers. Conceptualized by Ogilvy, the film unfolds in a vibrant, high-energy setting, capturing spontaneous snack breaks among friends. Riding on the growing trend of ASMR, the TVC engages deeply with the product’s sensory appeal. The film brings alive the indulgence through immersive sound and rhythm, mirroring how today’s youth experience food.

With this communication, Sunfeast Wowzers strengthens its positioning by moving beyond conventional product claims to build a stronger cultural connect with young consumers. By pairing a cheesier product experience with a fresh, vibe-led visual language, the brand makes indulgence feel contemporary, premium and socially relevant.

Commenting on the new campaign, Suraj Kathuria, Head of Marketing, Sunfeast at ITC Limited, said,

“Youth look for snacks that are bold, expressive and sensorial, something that stands out in both taste and experience. With Wowzers, we’ve leaned into what makes the product truly distinctive by making the indulgence even cheesier and bringing that to life through a fresh, high-energy film. The idea was to create a communication that feels immersive and culturally in sync, where the product’s layered crunch and cheesy payoff are experienced as much visually as they are in taste.”

Adding the creative perspective, Puneet Kapoor, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy South, said,

“I still recall biting into Wowzers at the ITC office, with the whole team instantly falling for the multi-sensorial snacking experience, led by that indulgent cheesy hit. The campaign idea was simply to demonstrate the truth we tasted first: the proof of the tasty, cheesy cracker is in the munching.”

New Delhi, Jan 23: Moj, India’s leading homegrown short video platform from ShareChat, today announced the launch of the Micro Drama Challenge, a first-of-its-kind accelerator programme designed to support and strengthen the micro drama ecosystem in India. The company has initially set aside over a ₹20 crore annual budget, to scout and groom upcoming studios in India’s rapidly growing short-form entertainment ecosystem.

This initiative opens doors to discover, finance and groom the next wave of storytellers building vertical micro drama series for India’s fastest-growing short-video audience, to showcase their talent and content capabilities. By fostering collaboration between content creators, filmmakers, production houses, and storytellers, Moj’s initiative aims to supercharge the micro-drama landscape, delivering fresh stories that resonate with millions of users nationwide and open up fresher revenue streams in the industry.

The application process open till January 26th, 2026, will enable Moj to shortlist 10 applicants by January 31st, 2026, and equip them with a grant of ₹10 lakhs each to craft engaging micro-dramas tailored for short-form vertical viewing. While the initiative provides complete creative freedom, these will need to adhere to basic guidelines of the format that entail it being at least an hour long, with each episode being 1-2 minutes long. Moj will also support these studios with deep consumer insights from state of the art recommendation systems allowing creators to craft their stories for maximum consumer engagement.

Thereafter, till March 31st, these participants dive into a high-stakes monthly challenge, showcasing their storytelling prowess through the genre of choice – ranging from action-packed narratives, emotional dramas, and culturally rooted tales. As these micro dramas get uploaded on Moj, it would face the real audience test with its 60 million strong micro drama viewer base.

In the end of the competition that enables creators to promote their series across mediums for driving viewership, the first placed team will secure a winning prize of ₹25 lakhs, followed by ₹15 lakhs for the second placed team, and ₹5 lakhs for the third team, not just enabling them to scale operations and produce even more compelling series’, but also be considered for future Moj Originals. 

Manohar Singh Charan, Co-Founder & CFO, ShareChat & Moj, said,

“This recurring monthly accelerator program acts as a launchpad, building a robust ecosystem that enables discovery of new storytellers. We are committed to building an enabler ladder where independent studios and creators can thrive alongside industry giants. It not only accelerates talent development but also ensures a steady influx of diverse, culturally rooted stories from all parts of India, bringing out something of interest and relevance for everyone. Our state-of-the-art recommendation systems will sit on top of this treasure trove and enable discovery of the right audience for each of these stories. We are moving to a world where every user should be able to access a deep supply of content tailored to their own unique taste. With ShareChat and Moj uniquely positioned to democratize access to micro-drama content to its users, this initiative reflects our resolve towards enabling a cohesive ecosystem that fosters innovation and growth across the board.”

The initiative is in line with the company’s vision of innovation in India’s booming short-video space. Through this, studios gain professional resources, access to a larger pool of revenue, mentorship, and exposure, while users benefit from an ever-expanding library of binge-worthy micro-dramas.

By:  Tapan Patel, Fund Manager-Commodities at Tata Asset Management.

“While silver’s dual role as a precious and industrial metal positions it as a potent return enhancer, its historical volatility suggests that retail investors should approach the recent rally with caution. Rather than a core hedge, silver is currently best suited for tactical exposure or as a specialized component of a diversified portfolio.

The recent ‘premium-to-iNAV’ episode serves as a vital reminder: during high-demand phases, supply constraints and tariff threats can temporarily disconnect ETF prices from their underlying value. To mitigate this, investors should avoid chasing vertical moves and instead adopt a staggered, systematic entry to benefit from price averaging during inevitable consolidations.

For those already invested, the decision to hold or rebalance should be guided by the Gold/Silver ratio. As the ratio compresses toward the 50 mark—having retraced from the highs of 100 seen in 2025—investors might consider booking partial profits to reallocate into more stable assets like Gold ETFs, ensuring the portfolio remains aligned with their long-term risk appetite.”

New Delhi, Jan 23: Aptronix, an Apple Premium Partner in India, has introduced a new multi-device exchange initiative aimed at strengthening formal e-waste collection and responsible recycling across the country. The programme, titled Limitless Aptronix Exchange, allows customers to exchange up to 10 electronic devices of any brand and condition at Aptronix retail outlets.

Powered by device lifecycle management company Servify and recycling partner Karo Sambhav, a government-authorised Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO), the initiative accepts both functional and non-functional devices. Eligible categories include smartphones, laptops, tablets, wearables, and select household electronics.

Functional devices are assessed instantly through Servify’s diagnostic platform, with the evaluated value redeemable against the purchase of new Apple products. Devices without resale value are routed for responsible recycling, with customers receiving vouchers, along with a tree planted on their behalf.

According to Aptronix, the programme is designed to address India’s growing e-waste challenge by encouraging consumers to responsibly dispose of unused and obsolete electronics. The company expects the initiative to divert a significant volume of electronic waste from landfills during its first year.

Servify’s platform enables transparent device assessment and end-to-end tracking, ensuring devices move through certified refurbishment or recycling channels. Karo Sambhav will oversee recycling operations in compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines, providing traceability from collection to final processing.

Commenting on the launch, Meghna Singh, CEO, Aptronix, said,

“This programme is about making responsible disposal simple and accessible for consumers. By removing friction from the recycling process, we hope to encourage more people to part with old devices responsibly.”

Sreevathsa Prabhakar, Founder & CEO, Servify, added,

“Technology-driven diagnostics, transparent valuation, and traceable recycling are critical to formalising e-waste management at scale.”

The programme is available across all Aptronix retail locations and is open to customers irrespective of device brand. Aptronix will monitor key environmental impact metrics, including the number of devices collected, recycled, and consumer participation levels.

Industry observers note that initiatives such as this align with India’s tightening regulatory framework around e-waste management and reinforce the growing emphasis on producer and consumer responsibility within the electronics ecosystem.

Navi Mumbai, Jan 23: A 41-year-old man from Mauritius, who had been living with debilitating hip pain for over 11 years due to advanced Avascular Necrosis (AVN), has successfully avoided hip replacement surgery after undergoing cell-based regenerative therapy at StemRx Hospital & Research Centre, Navi Mumbai. Treated under the care of Dr. Pradeep Mahajan, Regenerative Medicine Researcher and Founder of StemRx, the patient has experienced significant pain relief, improved mobility, and a renewed quality of life.

Mr. Kavraj Singh Bohani had been suffering from persistent pain, stiffness, and severely restricted movement for more than a decade. Over the last three to four years, his condition worsened considerably, affecting his ability to walk, sleep, work, and perform everyday activities. Multiple medical consultations in Mauritius recommended hip replacement surgery as the only viable option. Long-term use of pain medication offered only temporary relief and began impacting his mental and emotional well-being.

In search of a non-surgical, root-cause-focused solution, Mr. Bohani learned about StemRx through the Medi Check Clinic in Mauritius and decided to travel to India for treatment.

At StemRx Hospital, a comprehensive evaluation confirmed advanced AVN of the hip, a condition caused by reduced blood supply to the bone, leading to bone damage and joint degeneration. Based on the assessment, the medical team designed a personalised regenerative medicine protocol aimed at restoring blood flow, reducing inflammation, and stimulating natural bone healing.

Even before the primary therapy commenced, the patient showed improvement through supportive care and physiotherapy. He subsequently underwent stem cell-based regenerative therapy, supported by a multidisciplinary treatment approach that included targeted cell therapy, physiotherapy, quantum energy medicine, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), and EBOO (Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation and Ozonation). The integrated strategy focused on slowing or halting disease progression, relieving pain, improving joint function, and avoiding joint replacement surgery.

Commenting on the case, Dr. Pradeep Mahajan, Regenerative Medicine Researcher & Founder, StemRx Hospital & Research Centre, said,

“Avascular necrosis develops when the blood supply to the bone is compromised, leading to progressive damage and severe pain. In many cases, joint replacement is advised as the final option. Our approach focuses on addressing the disease at the cellular level—by improving blood flow, reducing inflammation, and stimulating bone regeneration. In Mr. Bohani’s case, a customised stem cell therapy protocol helped support recovery of the hip joint and significantly improve his quality of life.”

He added,

“What stood out in this case was the patient’s determination and trust in the treatment process. With consistent therapy and rehabilitation, we observed meaningful improvements in pain levels, mobility, and overall function. This case highlights how regenerative medicine can offer hope to patients who believe surgery is their only option.”

Sharing his experience, Mr. Kavraj Singh Bohani said,

“For years, pain controlled every part of my life. I couldn’t work properly, sleep peacefully, or even step out without discomfort. Doctors told me surgery was the only way forward. Coming to StemRx changed everything. Today, I am almost pain-free and no longer dependent on medicines. I finally feel hopeful again.”

He further added,

“Dr. Mahajan gave me confidence from day one. His calm approach and clear explanations made me feel safe throughout the treatment. Before opting for a hip replacement, I would strongly encourage anyone suffering from AVN to explore regenerative therapy. It truly gave me my life back.”

This case underscores the potential of cell-based regenerative medicine in offering effective, non-surgical treatment options for chronic and debilitating conditions such as Avascular Necrosis—helping patients restore mobility, dignity, and long-term quality of life.

Intellect Accelerates Global Enterprise AI Adoption, Onboards 14 Value Discovery Partners for Purple Fabric Ecosystem

Intellect Design Arena Ltd, a global leader in enterprise-grade financial technology, today announced the onboarding of 14 Value Discovery Partners across India, Africa, Europe, the UK, APAC, and Canada, to accelerate AI-First value discovery and enterprise adoption of Purple Fabric, its enterprise-grade Business Impact AI platform.

As financial institutions worldwide face the challenge of moving Generative AI initiatives from “pilot mode” to production-grade “business impact,” this new partner ecosystem will play a pivotal role in bridging the gap.

Built using First Principles Thinking and reinforced by Design Thinking-led solution discovery, Purple Fabric integrates knowledge derived from over three decades of domain expertise and more than 20 million engineering hours. The platform offers a robust suite of enterprise-ready Digital Experts that are already deployed and trusted by global financial institutions.

As Value Discovery Partners, these organisations engage early with customer leadership to lead AI-First value discovery identifying high-impact use cases, prioritising measurable value pools, and co-designing governed, production-ready AI solutions on Purple Fabric. This ensures enterprises move beyond experimentation and accelerate the delivery of tangible, scalable business outcomes.

At its core, Purple Fabric enables enterprises to operationalise AI through four foundational technology stacks. These include the Enterprise Knowledge Garden (PF EKG), which provides a unified, continuously updated domain data fabric; Enterprise Digital Experts (PF EDE), a multi-agent orchestration layer that automates and augments enterprise tasks across credit, risk, compliance, and customer experience; Enterprise Governance (PF Govern), embedding observability, auditability, and fairness controls to ensure trust and regulatory compliance; and the LLM Optimisation Hub (PF MOH), an LLM-agnostic layer that optimises speed, accuracy, and cost through intelligent benchmarking and resource allocation.

A New Collaborative Framework: Co-Build, Co-Exist, Build

The Purple Fabric Value Discovery Partnership Program is anchored on deep technical and strategic collaboration. Partners are not positioned as distributors but as co-creators within the ecosystem, working closely with Intellect to:

• Co-Build: Jointly develop new AI agents and industry-specific workflows.
• Co-Exist: Seamlessly integrate Purple Fabric’s Digital Experts into existing legacy and core architectures.
• Build: Create bespoke IP and differentiated solutions on top of the Purple Fabric foundation.

Flexible Engagement Models

To ensure broad market adoption and flexible go-to-market execution, the partner ecosystem operates under three distinct engagement models:

• Sell With: Partners leverage Purple Fabric to address customer challenges, with Intellect providing deep architectural and platform support.
• Sell To: Partners adopt Purple Fabric for their own internal operations, using pre-built Digital Experts to streamline workflows and decision-making.
• Sell Through: Designed for partners with strong cloud capabilities, this model offers dual deployment flexibility, either hosting Purple Fabric on partner infrastructure or reselling it via Intellect’s managed Purple Fabric Cloud, aligned to customer compliance and data preferences.

Commenting on the expanded partner ecosystem, Arun Jain, Chairman and Managing Director of Intellect Design Arena Limited & Chief Architect of Purple Fabric, said,

“AI must move beyond pilots to deliver measurable business impact at enterprise scale. This value discovery partner ecosystem reinforces our belief that Business Impact AI can only scale through trusted collaboration, where industry context, governance, and execution come together. Purple Fabric is designed as an open platform, and this growing global ecosystem will help enterprises move decisively from experimentation to outcomes.”

By:  Dr Alok Misra, CEO & Director, Microfinance Industry Network 

“The microfinance sector touching lives of nearly 30 crore low income people needs policy support in the form of robust KYC framework for accurate borrower verification and responsible credit reporting. In light of SC judgement restricting Aadhar use, the issue needs to be addressed through solutions such as Aadhaar last-four-digit storage or tokenisation. The other area requiring policy support is availability of stable funding mechanism. High dependence of NBFC-MFIs on bank funding leads to sudden drying up of funds and affects financial inclusion, like seen for last one year. This has resulted in nearly 50 lakh clients going out of formal finance fold.

Other than that, at a macro level, the sector has shown tangible improvement in credit discipline, with Portfolio at Risk (1–90 days) for RBI regulated entities declining from 5.3% in Dec 2024 to 2.4% by end December 2025 and nearly 96% of borrowers are within prescribed MFIN guardrails. We remain hopeful for an early announcement on the proposed credit guarantee scheme for microfinance, which will further strengthen lender confidence and start a virtuous cycle for the sector.”

The Red Lorry Film Festival (RLFF), the country’s premiere international film festival curated by BookMyShow, India’s leading entertainment destination, has announced its third edition, scheduled to take place from March 13 to 15, 2026, in Mumbai. The festival continues to strengthen its position as a marquee event on India’s cultural calendar, celebrating curated global and Indian cinema.

With over 120 titles set to be screened, the upcoming edition places RLFF among the few international film festivals in the city, thoughtfully curated for cinephiles, the film industry, and cinema enthusiasts alike.

Ahead of the full line-up announcement, the festival has revealed select titles that will be showcased at the third edition.

These include Indian premieres of Bradley Cooper’s latest directorial Is This Thing On?, Safe House (ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Award), Brendan Fraser-starrer Rental Family, Case 137, Fantasy Life and Wrangler. The line-up also features Cannes selections such as Nino (Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award Winner), The Love That Remains (Palm Dog Winner), Fatih Akin’s Amrum, Redland, A Pale View Of Hills, Leave One Day and Peak Everything.

Further highlights include Venice selections The Sun Rises On Us All (Volpi Cup for Best Actress winner) and The Souffleur; TIFF selection Hen (Platform Award – Honourable Mention); Berlinale selections Circus Boy (Best Film – Generation Kplus), The Botanist (Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury), Late Shift (Switzerland’s official entry to the Oscars), and Tom Tykwer’s The Light, among others.

The festival will also have a special “Legacy Rewind” section, celebrating tributes, classics and restored films that have shaped Indian cinema over the decades.

The 3rd edition of RLFF will also feature a special celebration of Marathi cinema, with screenings of acclaimed upcoming and well-received Marathi films. Additionally, the festival will host the Rendezvous with French Cinema section in partnership with Alliance Française de Bombay (AF Bombay).

Speaking about the third edition, Ashish Saksena, Festival Director, Red Lorry Film Festival and COO – Cinemas, BookMyShow, said, “Red Lorry Film Festival was created with the intent of offering Indian audiences access to carefully curated global cinema in a theatrical environment. Over the last two editions, we have seen a growing appetite for international storytelling across cultures and genres. As we enter the third edition, our focus remains on thoughtful curation and delivering a festival experience that reflects the evolving tastes of Indian cinephiles while championing cinematic voices.”

In addition to film screenings, RLFF will feature masterclasses and panel discussions with filmmakers and industry professionals, along with red carpet gala events. Further details will be announced closer to the festival. The festival will be hosted at INOX Maison, Jio World Drive Plaza, BKC, with satellite screenings at PVR ICON, PVR City Mall, PVR Dynamix, and Cinépolis Fun Republic Mall.

With its third edition, the festival continues to bring global cinema closer to Indian audiences through immersive theatrical experiences. Passes for the upcoming edition of the festival are available on BookMyShow.

RMZ Announces Strategic Investment Partnership with the Government of Maharashtra at WEF Davos 2026 to Facilitate Investments up to USD 30 Billion

Davos, Switzerland / Mumbai, Jan 23: RMZ, Asia’s leading integrated alternative-assets platform owned by the Menda family, today announced a strategic investment partnership with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and City & Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (CIDCO) at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos.

Under this long-term partnership, RMZ plans to facilitate investments of up to USD 30 billion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region over the next ten years in a phased manner. The initiative has the potential to generate approximately 3 lakh direct and indirect jobs throughout the project lifecycle. The collaboration is designed to drive economic growth through foreign direct investment (FDI) in urban, regional, and infrastructure development.

As part of the partnership with MMRDA, RMZ will lead investment structuring and capital mobilisation, alongside master planning, project development, and long-term asset management, leveraging global best practices across real estate, infrastructure, logistics parks, and data centres. MMRDA will support land identification and aggregation, provide policy-level support, and facilitate approvals and planning for the projects.

In collaboration with CIDCO, RMZ will develop new data centre and commercial projects in Navi Mumbai, with project execution expected to commence in FY 2026-27. CIDCO will support RMZ in obtaining necessary permissions, land allotments, approvals, and clearances from relevant government authorities in line with Maharashtra’s policies and regulations.

A CIDCO spokesperson said,

“We are excited to announce this partnership with RMZ, which aligns with Maharashtra’s vision to attract large-scale, technology-led infrastructure projects, strengthen digital resilience, and meet India’s growing demand for data-driven services. Navi Mumbai is fast emerging as a preferred hub for high-value data centres and digital infrastructure. This collaboration will enable planned, future-ready development by providing the necessary infrastructure, approvals, and ecosystem support for long-term digital and economic growth.”

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Manoj Menda, Chairman – Supervisory Board, RMZ, said,

“Large, long-duration investments require more than capital; they demand alignment, trust, and strong institutional frameworks. Maharashtra’s focus on planned development and long-term economic value creation provides an ideal foundation. This strategic investment partnership reflects RMZ’s commitment to patient capital, sound governance, and building infrastructure platforms designed to deliver enduring economic outcomes.”

Mr. Deepak Chhabria, President – RMZ Infrastructure, added,

“Mumbai and its surrounding regions are emerging as critical hubs in India’s digital infrastructure and data-driven economy. RMZ already has approximately 230 MW of colocation capacity across its digital infrastructure platform, including assets in and around Mumbai. The partnership with MMRDA and CIDCO supports the next phase of expansion for future-ready data centre and AI infrastructure aligned with global standards. Our focus remains on developing efficient, sustainable platforms to support India’s growing digital economy over the long term.”

The collaboration aims to transform strategic locations into thriving growth hubs, enhance connectivity, and accelerate the implementation of key infrastructure projects, driving economic growth and long-term investment certainty for global capital.

Bengaluru,  Jan 23: Hexagon, the global leader in measurement technologies, today announced the India market launch of its next-generation metrology solution, the ATS800, at IMTEX Forming 2026, one of India’s premier manufacturing and machine tool exhibitions. While the ATS800 has been introduced in global markets earlier, this marks its official debut in the Indian manufacturing sector.

The launch ceremony was attended by Mr. Pramod Kaushik, President, Hexagon India, Mr. Manoj Sharma, Director – Marketing and Sales Excellence, Hexagon India, along with other Hexagon leaders and distinguished guests. The event is ongoing until 25 January 2026 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bengaluru, with Hexagon showcasing the ATS800 at Hall 3A, Booth A126.

The ATS800 is a high-precision laser tracking metrology solution that combines direct scanning and reflector tracking in a single portable system. It enables manufacturers to measure complex surfaces, fine features, and large structures from distances of up to 40 metres, improving precision, productivity, and workflow efficiency.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Pramod Kaushik, President, Hexagon India, said:

“The introduction of the ATS800 in India reflects Hexagon’s continued commitment to supporting the country’s manufacturing transformation. As manufacturers move towards higher precision, larger assemblies, and digital quality workflows, the ATS800 offers a flexible and scalable solution to improve accuracy, productivity, and operational confidence.”

Mr. Manoj Sharma, Director – Marketing and Sales Excellence, Hexagon India, added:

“India’s manufacturing ecosystem is evolving rapidly, and the ATS800 reinforces Hexagon’s commitment to equipping Indian manufacturers with advanced metrology solutions that enhance quality, productivity, and competitiveness.”

The ATS800 caters to a wide range of sectors, including aerospace, automotive, energy, heavy engineering, and large-scale fabrication, delivering precise measurements, reduced inspection times, and improved traceability. Its design supports integration with automation systems, advanced workflows, and robotic platforms, enabling seamless connectivity with existing metrology software.

Hexagon’s participation at IMTEX Forming 2026 underscores its commitment to the Indian market, supporting manufacturers across industries with innovative metrology and digital solutions that enhance efficiency, quality,