MAM
Mahesh Bhupati’s Globosport banks on celeb & entertainment deals for growth
MUMBAI: After starting out as a sports firm handling the likes of Sania Mirza and Zaheer Khan, the Mahesh Bhupathi-promoted sports and entertainment firm Globosport recently forged some crucial deals in the entertainment space in a span of four months.
With assignments ranging from a reality TV show to a deal involving South India’s top heroine Trisha Krishnan to the upcoming big release Dhoom 2, Globosport is targeting growth of over 400 per cent over the next 12 months, states an official release.
Among the coups that Globosport has pulled of recently are the Ajay Devgan and Kajol endorsement with Tata Indicom and the Hritik Roshan Endorsement with John Players, as well as Maruti’s launch of the Swift in Yash Raj Film’s movie Bunty aur Babli. Earlier this year Globosport had a breakthrough with the Whirlpool campaign using Ajay and Kajol in an ad for the first time ever, states an official release.
“The business in based on relationships which is something many of the older agencies and media buying houses do not realize,” says Globosport associate vice president-Cinema, for Afsar Zaidi. “That’s why we have earned the trust of people like Ajay Devgan or Kajol or firms like Yash Raj Films. That is why Saif Ali Khan became the first big Bollywood actor to sign exclusively with a celebrity management firm. All of them have had offers before but they chose to work with people they trust”.
According to Globosport’s vice president Anirban Blah, “Companies were looking for someone that understood how to use entertainment to reach out to their consumers in a manner that is personalized and memorable. With our industry relationships and breadth of services, we are then able to help brands identify and acquire the very best entertainment properties in the country.”
Globosport works with more than 50 of India’s leading brands and companies including Tata Indicom, Maruti, ICICI Bank, Pepsi, Coca Cola, Hyundai, HPCL, LG, Whirlpool, John Player, FritoLay and Sunfeast, the release adds.
Brands
Maharashtra panel orders Lodha to refund Rs 5 crore to homebuyers
Consumer court flags unfair practices in long-running property dispute case
MUMBAI: In a sharp rebuke to one of India’s biggest real estate players, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Macrotech Developers to refund nearly Rs 5 crore to a senior citizen couple, Uttam and Anindita Chatterjee. The ruling, delivered on March 13, 2026, calls out the developer for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practices”, bringing closure to a dispute that has stretched over a decade.
The case traces back to 2015, when the couple booked a 3-BHK flat at World Towers in Lower Parel for Rs 12.22 crore, with possession promised within a year. What followed was a series of changes that complicated matters. After deciding to exit the project, they were persuaded to shift to a 4-BHK in another development priced at Rs 8 crore, with delivery scheduled for 2018. However, within months, the price was allegedly increased to Rs 10 crore. After demonetisation reshaped the market, similar flats were reportedly being offered at lower prices, but the couple were not given the benefit.
Despite paying over Rs 2.83 crore, the couple neither received possession nor clarity. Instead, in 2018, the developer unilaterally cancelled the booking, retained part of the amount as earnest money, and argued that the buyers were investors rather than consumers. The commission rejected this claim, observing that casual references to “investment” do not take away consumer rights when the purchase intent is residential.
The bench also held that the developer could not penalise buyers for payment delays while failing to meet its own delivery commitments. It noted the lack of formal documentation for revised terms and termed the prolonged retention of funds without delivering a home as exploitative.
As part of its order, the commission directed the developer to refund Rs 2.83 crore paid by the couple, along with interest at 10 per cent per annum, amounting to around Rs 2.12 crore. In addition, Rs 1 lakh has been awarded for mental agony and Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total payout to over Rs 5 crore. The developer has been asked to comply within two months.
For now, the ruling serves as a reminder that in real estate, shifting terms and delayed promises can carry a significant cost.
