MAM
imd1 (I Am The 1), on-boards VVS Laxman as a Legend for cricket coaching offerings; also joins hands with India’s biggest photography training community DCP Expeditions
MUMBAI: Aidia Technovations’ co-curricular market place for Music, Art, Dance and Sports (MADS), imd1 (I Am The 1) has on-boarded VVS Laxman as a Legend for cricket coaching offerings.
VS Laxman is one of the most recognized and respected cricketer globally. He is known for his techniques, natural elegance and flair. He has played some of the most remarkable innings in cricketing history. Post-retirement, he has been associated with Indian Premier League (IPL) and is currently mentoring Sunrisers Hyderabad. He is also serving on the panel of commentators and analysts. Last November, he launched his much-awaited autobiography ‘281 and Beyond’ which was an immediate hit in the cricket fraternity.
Talking about his association with imd1, VVS Laxman said, “I am excited to start my unique journey with imd1. They are working on a disruptive idea for co-curricular learning using digital technology. It can take cricket learning and coaching to a different level. I look forward to impart my knowledge and experience through this association and make a big difference at grass root levels in every nook & corner of India and beyond.”
Commenting on the developments, Jigish Sonagara, founder of Aidia Technovations said, “We welcome VVS Laxman to team imd1. Our cricket coaching related offerings will have VVS (Very Very Special) touch now! With VVS’s endorsement of cricket curriculum, we will bring unique cricket coaching experience which is digitally driven with brick & mortar model.”
Aidia Technovations also joins hands with India’s biggest and fastest growing Photography training community DCP Expeditions (www.dcpexpeditions.com). DCP has a strong panel of experts comprising of most respected mentors and experts comprising of wildlife, travel, food, astro, fashion, macro/micro photographers to photo journalists, digital artists, digital imaging specialists, travelers, writers, divers, explorers, naturalists, conservationists and others. Some of the renowned photographers associated with DCP are Dr. Caesar Sengupta, Amit Rane, YuwarajGurjar, Mohan Thomas, Ashutosh Shinde, Sanak Roy Choudhury, Kiran Poonacha and many others. DCP regularly conducts photography workshops in more than 100 cities in India apart from photo tours, exhibitions and other initiatives. DCP and imd1 shall work on all aspects of photography, from creating courses, competitions / exhibitions to DCP experts offering standardized courses using imd1 digital platform.
On this occasion, Dr. Caesar Sengupta, founder & director of DCP Expeditions said, “Joining hands with imd1 is the best click for DCP and Indian photography world! Using imd1 digital platform, we will take photography learning to millions of budding photographers, right from amateur to professionals and students to homemakers. This path breaking idea will help disseminating best of the curated photography curriculum and knowledge across India”.
Jigish Sonagara added, “We are elated after joining hands with DCP. They are undisputed leaders in photography community with full bouquet of services, best of the mentors & experts and pan India presence. We will combine it with imd1 initiatives and digital technology offering real complete learning and experience.”
imd1 has already on-boarded celebrity photographer Dabboo Ratnani as a Legend for its photography course offerings and India’s fastest skater, Nikhilesh Tabhane as a Legend for its skating and related offerings earlier.
Aidia Technovations is Mumbai and Pune based start-up working on technology enabled innovations. Aidia is working on co-curricular marketplace for MADS (Music, Art, Dance and Sports) under “imd1” with various offerings. It will be a unique combination of brick & mortar and digital to use best of the both to connect all stakeholders with one of its kind technology and providing quality services in this vertical. As part of its initial plan to widen its reach, company has already launched its website www.imd1.co and android app imd1, covering achievers’ stories who can proudly say “I Am The 1” including that of Padma shri, Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award winners and others, market for MADS service providers, MADS specific social media etc.
Brands
Yes Madam taps Rajpal Yadav’s Chota Don nostalgia to power new digital campaign
Home salon platform ropes in Tanya Mittal as it bets on humour and pop culture to showcase trust and convenience
NOIDA: India’s fast-growing home salon platform Yes Madam is leaning on nostalgia and a dose of comic chaos to pitch its services. The brand has launched a new digital campaign starring Rajpal Yadav and influencer Tanya Mittal, reviving Yadav’s much-loved Chota Don character to underline the reliability of at-home beauty services.
The campaign marks Yes Madam’s first collaboration with Rajpal Yadav and revisits the quirky Chota Don persona made famous in the 2007 film Partner. Produced with Footloose Films, the film blends slapstick humour with a nostalgic callback to spotlight the platform’s promise of dependable, quality services delivered at home.
The storyline plays out like a miniature action comedy. Tanya Mittal finds herself surrounded by goons and calls for help, only for Rajpal Yadav to appear in full Chota Don mode, dispatching the attackers in his trademark comic style as Mittal cheers him on. The drama then flips abruptly to a calmer scene, with Mittal relaxing at home while enjoying a Yes Madam service and insisting the heroic episode really happened, even as posters of Chota Don decorate her house. The film ends with Yadav’s voiceover declaring that the incident may or may not have happened, but the trust and quality of Yes Madam’s services certainly have.
The collaboration also follows a broader show of support for Rajpal Yadav within the industry. In the growing wave of backing for the veteran actor, Mayank Arya, co-founder and chief executive of Yes Madam, publicly supported actor-producer Sonu Sood’s call for concrete help from the film industry and corporate brands. Arya took to the social media platform X urging companies to move beyond expressions of sympathy and instead offer tangible opportunities to the actor amid his ongoing legal and financial challenges.
He wrote, “Seconded @SonuSood. Even brands should come forward to help the great talent. @Rajpalofficial will also be a part of an ad film @_yesmadam! Have already aligned the team on it. #ComeBackStronger.”
Seconded @SonuSood. Even brands should come forward to help the the great talent.@Rajpalofficial will also be a part of an ad film @_yesmadam !
Have already aligned the team on it.#ComeBackStronger https://t.co/Q7qpJttLTs— Mayank Arya (@iammayankarya) February 11, 2026
Rajpal Yadav recently surrendered at Tihar Jail after the Delhi High Court rejected his plea seeking additional time to repay dues in a long-running cheque-bounce case. The actor had been accused in the case in 2018 after he was unable to repay a loan taken for a film project that failed at the box office. The court later ordered him to surrender after the dues remained unpaid.
The situation triggered a wave of support from several high-profile figures. Sonu Sood emerged as one of the most prominent voices, expressing solidarity and promising Yadav a role in his next film. Sood emphasised that industry support should be about dignity and real job opportunities rather than charity. Celebrities including Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Gurmeet Choudhary and Guru Randhawa have also publicly extended financial and professional support.
Before surrendering, Rajpal Yadav shared an emotional statement in which he spoke about feeling alone and unsupported, a remark that struck a chord with many in the industry. However, his brother later clarified that the actor would never have intended to suggest that he lacked support from colleagues or well-wishers.
Reflecting on the campaign, Mayank Arya said the film was designed to entertain while strengthening the brand’s message. “At Yes Madam, we have always believed in creating campaigns that connect with audiences in an engaging and memorable way. I had earlier spoken about the importance of extending meaningful opportunities to Rajpal Yadav, and we are glad to be the first brand to take that step forward with this collaboration. Through this film, we wanted to create a compelling narrative while also reinforcing the trust and reliability that customers associate with Yes Madam’s services,” Arya said.
Akanksha Vishnoi, co-founder, said the campaign leans on nostalgia to strike a chord with digital audiences. “Consumers today engage deeply with content that blends entertainment with relatability. With this campaign, we wanted to revisit a nostalgic moment while subtly reinforcing the convenience and reliability of at-home services. Rajpal Yadav’s Chota Don is an iconic character that instantly evokes nostalgia and humour, making it the perfect fit for this campaign. Tanya Mittal’s presence added a vibrant energy and helped us bring the vision of the campaign to life,” Vishnoi said.
Founded in 2016, Yes Madam offers salon and spa services at home through trained professionals using hygienic, single-use product formats. The platform now operates in more than 55 cities across India, pitching convenience, transparency and quality to a growing base of urban consumers.
The new campaign, rolling out across social media and video platforms, makes its pitch with a wink. The Chota Don rescue might be fiction, but the promise of a salon at your doorstep, the brand suggests, is the real deal.
