Gaming
NODWIN, Exceed join forces for NH7 revival
NEW DELHI: Talk about turning up the volume. NH7 Weekender, India’s happiest music festival, has found a fresh rhythm as Nodwin Gaming announced a strategic partnership with Exceed Entertainment to supercharge its sponsorship and brand ecosystem.
Set to return with its signature mix of music, culture and youthful energy, the long-running multi genre festival is preparing for another blockbuster edition. For over 15 years, NH7 Weekender has been a cultural touchstone, shaping music discovery and youthful expression for audiences across the country.
Nodwin Gaming, which acquired NH7 Weekender and other intellectual properties from OML Entertainment in 2021, continues to lead programming, production, creative vision and the festival’s long-term growth. The new partnership assigns Exceed Entertainment a focused mandate, driving sponsorship monetisation, brand alliances and commercial expansion.
The collaboration blends Nodwin’s stronghold in large scale live IPs such as Comic Con India and DreamHack with Exceed’s deep network in celebrity management, influencer ecosystems and experiential brand partnerships. The result is a model designed to elevate sponsor-led activations, curated talent engagements and new revenue blueprints that fuse music, gaming and pop culture.
Nodwin Gaming co-founder and managing director Akshat Rathee said, NH7 Weekender’s spirit has always been rooted in culture, community and the joy of being together. He added that Exceed’s expertise will help unlock fresh brand collaborations while Nodwin continues shaping the festival experience fans hold dear.
Exceed Entertainment founder Afsar Zaidi said, the company aims to set the pace rather than follow trends. He described the partnership as an opportunity to reimagine monetisation for one of India’s most iconic live IPs, promising innovative brand integrations and new commercial pathways.
With both partners aligned on creativity, youth culture and brand-centric design, NH7 Weekender looks set to deliver an even more immersive edition, keeping its cultural legacy intact while expanding its commercial horizon.
Gaming
Bluestone FY26 revenue rises to Rs 2,436 crore, turns profitable
Q4 profit at Rs 31 crore, full-year profit at Rs 13 crore vs loss last year.
MUMBAI: From sparkle to numbers, Bluestone seems to be polishing more than just jewellery this year. Bluestone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited reported a sharp turnaround in FY26, with revenue from operations rising to Rs 2,436 crore (Rs 24,364 million), up from Rs 1,770 crore (Rs 17,700 million) in FY25. The company posted a full-year profit of Rs 13 crore (Rs 131.79 million), a significant recovery from a loss of Rs 222 crore (Rs 2,218 million) a year ago.
Total income for the year stood at Rs 2,486 crore (Rs 24,860 million), compared to Rs 1,830 crore (Rs 18,300 million) in the previous year, reflecting both topline growth and improved operational momentum.
The March quarter, however, told a more nuanced story. Revenue from operations came in at Rs 681 crore (Rs 6,814 million), down from Rs 748 crore (Rs 7,486 million) in the year-ago period, though higher than Rs 461 crore (Rs 4,613 million) in the preceding December quarter. Net profit for Q4 stood at Rs 31 crore (Rs 311.81 million), compared to Rs 68 crore (Rs 688 million) a year earlier, but a clear reversal from a loss of Rs 51 crore (Rs 512 million) in Q3.
Margins were shaped by higher input costs, with raw material consumption rising to Rs 2,204 crore (Rs 22,043 million) for the full year, alongside employee benefit expenses of Rs 282 crore (Rs 2,824 million) and finance costs of Rs 210 crore (Rs 2,104 million). Other expenses came in at Rs 371 crore (Rs 3,715 million), slightly lower than Rs 393 crore (Rs 3,938 million) in FY25.
On the balance sheet front, total assets expanded to Rs 4,961 crore (Rs 49,610 million) as of March 31, 2026, from Rs 3,532 crore (Rs 35,322 million) a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in inventories to Rs 2,672 crore (Rs 26,718 million). Equity also strengthened to Rs 1,803 crore (Rs 18,030 million), nearly doubling from Rs 911 crore (Rs 9,107 million).
Cash flows reflected the cost of growth. Net cash used in operating activities stood at Rs 199 crore (Rs 1,990 million), while investing activities saw an outflow of Rs 239 crore (Rs 2,392 million). Financing activities, however, generated Rs 497 crore (Rs 4,971 million), helping the company end the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 108 crore (Rs 1,075 million), up from Rs 49 crore (Rs 487 million).
Earnings per share for FY26 came in at Rs 1.10, a sharp improvement from a negative Rs 79.74 in FY25, underlining the shift from losses to profitability.
With revenue scaling up, costs still glittering on the higher side, and profitability finally back in the black, BlueStone’s FY26 performance suggests a business mid-transition less about shine alone, and more about sustaining it.
