MAM
KBC helps Sony sprint ahead of Colors
MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan, the grand old man of Bollywood, has helped Sony Entertainment Television (Set) sprint ahead of Colors to grab the No. 2 position.
Set has added 50 GRPs (gross rating points) to take its total to 245 points in a week that saw the return of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) on the channel.
As per TAM data for the week ended 20 August, KBC opened in the Hindi speaking market (HSM) with a 5.24 TVR, making it the biggest non-fiction launch of the year. Though the opening of KBC this season is lower than that of last year (6.2 TVR), it is important to note that the telecast time of the show has been lengthened to 90 minutes per episode.
KBC 5 (2nd season on Sony) averaged 4.54 TVR during the week.
KBC also lifted the ratings of other fiction shows. Bade Achhe Laggte Hain, Set‘s biggest fiction show, has grown to a TVR of 3.7, while Saas Bina Sasuraal touched 2.4 TVR. CID continued to thrill the audience with an average rating of 3.5 TVR while Crime Patrol clocked 3.1 TVR.
Set senior EVP business head Sneha Rajani said, “KBC 2011 has been the only non-fiction show to open above 5 TVR this year on any Hindi GEC. We are delighted at the performance of all our shows and over the next 4 to 5 weeks we will further consolidate our position. We are confident that fiction will be the main growth driver on the channel. With a slew of promising new shows, Set will be a channel to watch out for.”
Colors has slipped to No. 3 position with 232 GRPs (preceding week 236), while Star Plus continued to be on top of the ladder with 297 GRPs (277 in previous week).
Zee TV is in fourth place for the second consecutive week with 194 GRPs (190 in trailing week), according to TAM data. Interestingly, Sony had managed to edge out Zee TV after the launch of KBC last year, though for a short time.
The rest of the pecking order remains unchanged. Sab in fifth position collected 128 GRPs (last week 127) while Imagine TV earned 76 GRPs (last week 71), followed by Star one (32 GRPs) and Sahara One (31 GRPs).
Brands
FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
