Brands
AU Small Finance Bank launches ‘Soch Badlo, aur Bank Bhi’
MUMBAI: AU Small Finance Bank, India’s largest small finance bank and the first in its category to secure in-principle RBI approval to transition into a universal bank, has unveiled a new brand campaign built on its theme “Soch Badlo, aur Bank Bhi” (Change your thinking, change your bank). The films, created by McCann, feature Bollywood actors Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna and mark a shift towards a more entertainment-driven, mainstream tone.
Using humour, familiar conversations and everyday domestic moments, the campaign urges viewers to question whether their current bank truly serves their needs. Rather than hard-selling products, Ranbir and Rashmika act as gentle nudges, encouraging audiences to consider more rewarding financial choices and to re-evaluate their banking relationships.
The communication showcases AU’s strengthened consumer and business offerings. For retail customers, AU pitches higher interest rates with monthly payouts on savings accounts, as well as lifestyle benefits and merchant offers on debit cards. For businesses, its current-account suite bundles lending, collections, merchant solutions and trade and forex services into a single platform.
A centrepiece of the pitch is AU’s digital stack: the AU 0101 app and AU 0101 business app, which aim to replicate full-branch capability on mobile, with real-time account visibility, integrated money management and instant transactions.
AU Small Finance Bank MD and chief executive Sanjay Agarwal, said the campaign aims to prompt customers to reflect on their banking choices “in a contemporary, relatable and entertaining way”. McCann Worldgroup India chief creative officer and chief executive Prasoon Joshi, said the work draws on “warmth, relatability and the humour in everyday human truths”.
Directed by Hemant Bhandari and produced by Chrome Pictures, the campaign will run across television, digital, social media and print as the bank steps up its push towards becoming a universal bank.
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.
