MAM
Variety debuts in India with cover featuring Bollywood’s big four
MUMBAI: Variety has planted its flag in India, and it has done so with a flourish. The American entertainment bible has launched its Indian edition with a debut cover uniting Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan — a first-of-its-kind assembly of four of Hindi cinema’s most bankable stars on a single magazine front.
The India launch, first announced in the final quarter of 2025, marks Variety’s formal entry into one of the world’s busiest film markets. The inaugural cover is already being talked up in publishing and film circles as a collector’s piece, signalling how seriously the title is taking India’s entertainment economy.
The franchise in India has been acquired by Thursday Tales Pvt. Ltd., which is positioning the magazine as a serious chronicler of the business of show business. The pitch is clear: less gossip, more game theory. Expect reporting on deal-making, market shifts, creative risks and the commercial mechanics behind the arc lights.
The launch issue blends domestic and global voices, tracking emerging trends, profiling rising talent and carrying deep-dive conversations with industry heavyweights and creative disruptors. The idea is to treat Indian entertainment not as spectacle alone but as industry, export and influence.
With the debut, Variety India is betting that the country is ready for sharper, business-first entertainment journalism backed by a global brand. In a market where cinema is religion and streaming is rewiring habits, the magazine wants to be both scorekeeper and storyteller.
The message from its first cover is unmistakable: India is no longer just a film factory for the world — it is a boardroom, a marketplace and a cultural power centre. And Variety intends to have a front-row seat.
Brands
Janhvi Kapoor teams up with Amaha to spotlight alcohol addiction
‘Off the Rocks’ aims to shift stigma to science in mental health discourse
MUMBAI: Janhvi Kapoor has partnered with Amaha to launch Off the Rocks, an awareness-led initiative that seeks to reframe alcohol addiction as a clinical mental health condition rather than a moral failing.
The initiative comes at a time when alcohol consumption is increasingly normalised in social settings, yet awareness around dependency and addiction remains limited. According to estimates, nearly one in five alcohol users in India may face addiction, but many continue without diagnosis or access to professional care, often held back by stigma or lack of understanding.
Kapoor said the idea for the campaign stemmed from a gap she has observed in public conversations. “The conversation around alcohol is either completely absent or deeply judgmental, and neither serves the people who actually need support,” she said. “Alcohol addiction is real, it’s clinical, and it affects people across every walk of life.”
Off the Rocks is designed as a long-term, multi-format effort rather than a one-off campaign. It will feature expert-led discussions, personal stories, and accessible content aimed at building awareness, reducing stigma, and guiding individuals towards professional help.
To ensure clinical depth, Kapoor has teamed up with Amaha, a full-spectrum mental health organisation with a large network of psychiatrists and psychologists. The organisation brings both infrastructure and expertise, particularly in treating moderate to severe mental health conditions, including alcohol use disorder.
“Addiction sits at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and lived experience, and remains one of the most stigmatised conditions we see,” said Amaha founder and CEO Amit Malik. He added that the initiative would help connect public awareness with credible, evidence-based care.
Amaha currently operates across multiple cities with in-person centres and digital services, offering therapy, psychiatry, and self-care tools in several languages. Its platform has reached millions globally, reflecting a growing demand for structured mental health support in India.
With Off the Rocks, Kapoor and Amaha are attempting to shift the narrative from blame to understanding, and from silence to support. If it succeeds, the initiative could help more people recognise when social drinking crosses the line and, more importantly, where to turn next.
