MAM
KBC ropes in Aakash as a sponsor
MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan-hosted game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) which will air on Sony Entertainment Television (Set) has roped in Aakash Institutes as one of its sponsors.
Starting 7 September, KBC will air every week Friday to Sunday at 8.30 pm.
The positioning of this season of KBC is ‘the power of knowledge‘ or ‘Sirf Gyaan Hi Aapko Aapka Haq Dila Sakta Hai‘ which matches with Aakash‘s vision.
Aakash Educational Services director Aakash Chaudhry said, “We have pioneered this initiative with KBC as the program itself along with its central theme this year is truly in-sync with our philosophy! The magnetism and reach KBC has on the masses and with the visibility of Aakash coaching services when the program is aired, is the right and the best platform for us currently. It would definitely enhance our reach and thus fulfill the main purpose of this initiative, which is to reach out and assist all the aspirants who want to make their mark worldwide as medical and engineering careerists.”
Set up in 1988, Aakash Institute offers coaching to engineering aspirants across the country. They also guide students for medical and foundation level examinations (like NTSE and Olympiads) across India.
Brands
Reliance Retail acquires Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s haircare brand Anomaly
India’s biggest retailer bets on clean, vegan haircare as it muscles into the country’s fast-growing beauty market
MUMBAI: Reliance Retail has acquired Anomaly, the global haircare brand founded by actor and entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra Jonas, in a move that hands India’s largest retailer full ownership of one of the more internationally recognised homegrown beauty labels. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The deal covers Anomaly’s trademarks, brand assets and digital properties, giving Reliance Retail complete ownership of the brand’s intellectual property and digital ecosystem. Chopra Jonas, who launched Anomaly in 2021, will stay on as creative director, overseeing innovation, product development and brand vision.
Built on a clean, vegan and high-performance positioning at accessible price points, Anomaly has established an international presence across multiple global markets since its launch. Reliance Retail now plans to scale the brand aggressively through its expansive offline retail network and omnichannel platforms, including Tira, its beauty retail arm. India will be a priority market, with a focus on developing products tailored to Indian hair and scalp needs. The company also has its eye on North America, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.
Isha Ambani, who oversees Reliance Retail’s consumer businesses, was forthright about the strategic logic. “Bringing Anomaly into our portfolio marks a strategic step in expanding our basket of new-age, high-growth beauty brands,” she said. “Anomaly’s strong global positioning, clean formulation philosophy, and accessible pricing make it a compelling addition to our ecosystem.” She added that Reliance saw “immense potential in collaborating with Priyanka to scale the brand in India by leveraging our omnichannel capabilities and deep consumer insights, while continuing to grow its international presence.”
Chopra Jonas framed the acquisition as a milestone rather than an exit. “This is a defining moment for Anomaly,” she said. “What began as a deeply personal journey has grown into a brand with real purpose and global ambition, and Reliance Retail’s acquisition marks an exciting new chapter.” She added that Reliance’s “scale, retail expertise, and commitment to innovation will allow us to bring Anomaly to far more consumers in India and around the world.”
The acquisition slots neatly into Reliance Retail’s broader push into premium and digital-first consumer brands across fashion, beauty and personal care. In a beauty market growing at pace and increasingly receptive to clean, ingredient-conscious formulations, Anomaly gives Reliance a brand with genuine international credibility and a founder whose global profile does the marketing almost by itself. For Chopra Jonas, it means her haircare label gets the retail muscle of India’s most powerful consumer conglomerate behind it. Not a bad chapter two.
