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Cinépolis fires up Blockbuster Food Festival to boost cinema food spend
INDIA: Cinépolis India has rolled out the Blockbuster Food Festival, a three-month, pan-India food-and-beverage push designed to turn cinema snacks into a bigger business. Running from January to March 2026, the campaign will trial 21 new menu items across more than 80 locations in over 40 cities.
The festival operates under Foovies, Cinépolis India’s food-led platform launched earlier this year, and uses the exhibitor’s national footprint as a live laboratory. Dishes that perform best during the trial will be absorbed into the permanent menu at the end of the campaign.
The strategy targets a clear gap. India’s F&B-to-ticket spend ratio stands at 50–55 per cent, roughly half the global average of 100 per cent. Cinépolis sees menu innovation as the fastest way to narrow that divide.
“Food already contributes 30 per cent of our revenue, but audiences are only beginning to see it as part of the cinema experience,” said Cinépolis India managing director Devang Sampat. “This festival lets us test what works at scale. What audiences love stays.”
The rotating menu mixes regional comfort food with indulgent crowd-pleasers, including desi chicken keema with kulcha, hot garlic kurkure momos, dal vada tikki, potato bomb and peanut butter cheesecake. New items will be introduced each month to keep repeat visitors curious.
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Magellanic Cloud names Syed Ameeruddin CEO of e-surveillance arm
Keeping a sharper eye on the future, Magellanic Cloud is putting a seasoned watcher in charge.
MUMBAI – Magellanic Cloud Ltd. has elevated Syed Ameeruddin as Chief Executive Officer of its e-surveillance business, bringing its iVIS and Provigil operations under a unified leadership to accelerate growth in intelligent monitoring and infrastructure solutions.
Ameeruddin, a nearly two-decade veteran of the company, steps into the role after leading the e-surveillance vertical. His career trajectory—from Business Development Manager to the top of the vertical—reflects a steady climb built on operational depth, client engagement, and strategic execution across multiple subsidiaries.
Over the years, he has played a central role in expanding the company’s footprint, strengthening client relationships, and streamlining operations. He has also been instrumental in integrating acquisitions, helping align new businesses with Magellanic Cloud’s long-term strategy while stabilising performance across diverse domains.
More recently, Ameeruddin has contributed to securing key mandates spanning railways, the National Highways Authority of India, and the BFSI sector—wins that have bolstered the company’s order book and deepened its presence in critical infrastructure.
Commenting on the move, Joseph Sudheer Thumma said Ameeruddin’s leadership has been “pivotal in shaping the e-surveillance business,” citing his ability to drive growth, build teams, and deliver strategic wins as key to the company’s journey. His elevation, Thumma added, is expected to further accelerate expansion in AI-driven surveillance and infrastructure solutions.
The transition comes as demand surges for AI-enabled monitoring, centralised command systems, and large-scale deployments across mission-critical environments. Magellanic Cloud’s e-surveillance segment—anchored by iVIS and Provigil—has emerged as a significant growth engine, delivering projects across banking, transport, highways, and public infrastructure.
In his new role, Ameeruddin will focus on scaling platform capabilities, expanding deployments in complex environments, and developing integrated solutions that enhance real-time intelligence and operational resilience. He will continue to serve as Chief Operating Officer of the company alongside his new responsibilities.
With this leadership shift, Magellanic Cloud is doubling down on its ambition to stay ahead in India’s rapidly evolving surveillance ecosystem—where seeing, increasingly, is not just believing, but predicting.
