MAM
MS Dhoni invests in home interiors brand HomeLane
MUMBAI: Home interiors company, HomeLane has entered into a three-year strategic partnership with Mahendra Singh Dhoni as an equity partner and brand ambassador. As part of the partnership, Dhoni will own equity in HomeLane. The cricketer, popularly known as ‘Captain Cool’, will be HomeLane’s first brand ambassador and the first celebrity to endorse an end-to-end home interiors brand.
As the interiors brand expands into new markets and deepens its presence in its existing 16 cities, its strategic association with MS Dhoni will enable the company to create high decibel visibility and connect with its consumers. HomeLane plans to add 25 new Tier II and Tier III cities over the next two years and has earmarked Rs 100 crore in marketing spends to support this aggressive expansion.
With the upcoming cricket and festive season, HomeLane and MS Dhoni are jointly working on a brand new campaign that will be released during the new IPL season.
Commenting on the partnership, HomeLane founders Srikanth Iyer and Tanuj Choudhry said, “We are excited to partner with MSD. He is not just a sporting legend but also one of the most respected and recognised personalities in India. With the trust & credibility that he brings to the table, we believe that he is the perfect fit for our brand vision. HomeLane was built with the intent of making end-to-end home interiors easy and transparent for consumers anywhere in the country and this strategic partnership is a leap toward that goal.”
VP – marketing, Rajeev G N added, “MS Dhoni’s personal brand resonates very well with HomeLane’s brand values of trust and transparency. He is a sporting giant, a patriot, a dedicated family man, yet very approachable; qualities that inspire across generations. Like HomeLane, he is also an expert at what he does. We are ecstatic to have him on board and look forward to building a strong digital-first brand over the next many years with him.”
Commenting on the association, Mahendra Singh Dhoni said, “My home, like anyone else, is my comfort zone. A home is built with love and dreams and it’s where we create memories of a lifetime with our loved ones. I believe that HomeLane can help homeowners make their dream home a reality. HomeLane’s vision of making interiors easy and accessible for people across the country is what made me want to be a part of it. With the technology and the expertise that HomeLane brings I look forward to our association in making this vision a reality.”
Digital
India leads global adoption of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in first week
From anime avatars to fantasy covers, users turn AI visuals into culture
NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0, just a week after its launch by OpenAI, underlining the country’s growing influence on global internet trends.
While the tool was introduced as an advanced image-generation upgrade within ChatGPT, Indian users are quickly reshaping its purpose. Instead of sticking to productivity-led use cases, many are embracing it as a creative playground for self-expression, storytelling and online identity.
From anime-style portraits and cinematic headshots to tarot-inspired visuals and fictional newspaper front pages, the model is being used to create highly stylised, shareable content. Features such as accurate text rendering, multilingual prompts and the ability to generate detailed visuals with minimal input have helped drive rapid adoption.
What sets the latest model apart is its ability to “think” through prompts, generating multiple outputs and adapting to context, including real-time web inputs. But the bigger story lies in how users are engaging with it.
In India, trends are already taking shape. Popular formats include dramatic studio-style lighting edits, LinkedIn-ready headshots, manga-inspired avatars, soft pastel “spring” aesthetics, AI-led fashion moodboards, paparazzi-style visuals and fantasy newspaper covers. Users are also restoring old photographs, creating tarot-style imagery and experimenting with futuristic design concepts.
Local flavour is adding another layer. Prompts such as cinematic portrait collages and Y2K-inspired romantic edits are gaining traction, blending global aesthetics with distinctly Indian internet culture.
The surge reflects a broader shift in how AI tools are being used in the country, moving beyond utility to creativity. As younger users, creators and social media enthusiasts experiment with new visual formats, AI-generated imagery is increasingly becoming part of everyday digital expression.
If early trends hold, ChatGPT Images 2.0 may not just be a tech upgrade but a cultural moment, giving millions a new visual language to play with online.
