Brands
McDowell’s soda brings Viu’s Daggubati show on Gemini TV
MUMBAI: Friendship and brotherhood is the support system that sees millennials through moments of self-doubt and obstacles and is truly responsible for shaping them. McDowell’s No.1 Luxury Soda by United Spirits Limited – a Diageo Group Company is now bringing alive such friendships of well-known personalities from real to reel life in a brand new talk show called No. 1 Yaari in collaboration with Mindshare & Group M. Hosted by superstar Rana Daggubati, who is known to be a true friend in the entertainment industry the show will be aired on Gemini TV starting 25th June, 2017, every Sunday at 8:30 to 9:30 pm.
The show brings together for the first time as guests, Tollywood stars and their real-life BFFs who will share their behind-the-door secrets, friendship defining moments & play interesting games with Rana, while the fans will be treated to some never seen before videos and the audience, get to ask their favorite stars questions to know them better.
This show’s production is managed by Sprint Telefilms and is being directed by Sanjeev K Kumar. Sanjeev has previously been associated with successful shows like Jabardasth, Dhee, Cash N Kevvu Kabaddi and has won various awards for his work. Viewers will be able to catch the extended version of the episode on the VIU APP exclusively– a one stop destination for great original content.
“No. 1 Yaari celebrates the spirit of brotherhood and friendship. Friends have always been a strong support system throughout my personal journey. Although stars are public figures, they always have a private side, which they manage to keep under wraps. It will be fun to uncover their wild sides and reveal how their friendships have shaped their uniqueness on the show,” said Rana Daggubati, actor and host of No. 1 Yaari show.
Commenting the new show, Subroto Geed, Senior Vice President – Marketing, at United Spirits Limited said, “Joining hands with people who matter and curating a show that is all about bonds that last was always on our agenda. No. 1 Yaari by Mc Dowell’s No. 1 Luxury soda aims to cater to the need for interesting content on television. To co-produce a show about a bond that brings about the biggest change in one’s life, we hope our audience go on to rekindle their ‘yaaris’ and reach out to their long lost friends, often lost in our fast paced lives. Also with this we look to take a step forward in creating more engaging content to connect and engage with the youth today!”
Expressing his opinion on the new show, Prasanth Kumar, CEO Mindshare South Asia said “Friendship and brotherhood are one of the most beautiful bonds in one’s life that needs to be relished in this fast pace world. There could not be a better idea than celebrating the same through this show which is India’s first celebrity chat show which will raise a toast to celebrate – Friendship. Bringing this live is exciting. It’s a great platform for the brand. We at Mindshare recognize the consumer tastes as triggers to customizing content. We are looking forward to making this bigger. Thanks to all our partners who have been a great encouragement in this journey”
Commenting on the show, Vishal Kumar Maheshwari, India Country Head, Vuclip said “At Viu, our constant focus is to curate premium content which is engaging and entertaining for today’s digital audience. After the success of PillA & Pelli Gola, we wanted to continue with our promise of fresh and differentiated content for the Telugu Market. We are glad to partner with Mindshare & Group M for No.1 Yaari with Rana Daggubati. In this we found a property that has right combination of content that brings together the fans of Rana from across the nation and fulfills our promise to digital viuers.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
