MAM
Ambuja Cement reprises its ‘Deewaar’ TVC with Boman Irani
Mumbai: Ambuja Cements Ltd has once again teamed up with actor Boman Irani to reprise its epic ‘Ye Deewaar Toot Thi Kyu Nahi’ premise in its latest commercial outing, albeit in a new avatar titled ‘Deewar 2’.
The cement brand’s new TVC features the actor, this time accompanied by another delightful talent, Vinay Pathak in an entertaining creative with elements of comedy, action and drama thrown in, just like its hugely successful and much-loved predecessor.
With Irani playing ‘bapu’ this time with grown-up sons, the cement brand is set to recreate the magic of its classic ‘bhai-bhai’ commercial that went on to become a part of pop culture with the epic line “Bhaiya, ye deewar tootati kyon nahin?”. The latest creative, conceptualised in collaboration with Keroscene Films once again showcases the brand’s ‘Viraat Strength’ with a fresh quirky and humorous take.
The TVC takes the tale of what happens when an unstoppable Boman Irani once again meets ‘the unbreakable Ambuja Cement Wall’ two steps ahead, even incorporating time-lapse and aging the actors in a 60-second film. The sequel brings to life the character of one of the brothers from its earlier tale of estranged brothers, both of whom were performed phenomenally by Irani.
“This was a really fun script to bring to life. We had the advantage of great actors like Boman and Vinay, but it was also very demanding with the aging and time-lapse involved,” said Keroscene Films producer and director Rajesh Saathi of the film’s execution. “What was particularly satisfying for us was the music, as the track reflects the ‘plot’ in the story, with the sound design having to work at multiple levels.”
Launched nearly two decades back, the evergreen ‘bhai-bhai’ TVC showcasing the tale of estranged brothers who desperately wish to break down the wall between them has gone down in advertising annals as a creative that managed to tie in the brand purpose with creativity, Bollywood style drama and quirky humour.
“A new Ambuja ad is always a challenge with the benchmark being set so high with previous ads,” said Ambuja Cements Ltd chief marketing officer Ashish Prasad. “Our conscious effort was to create a new story that amplifies the familiarity and fondness people have for Ambuja and its inimitable brand of humour.”
“With a legacy of over 35 years, Ambuja Cements takes pride in its brand philosophy that ‘strength of the cement lies in the strength of emotion’,” stated Ambuja Cements Ltd MD & CEO Neeraj Akhoury.
“As always, Ambuja Cement connects with small-town India and narrates the story with a playful twist, one that connects with the heart, is entertaining and has an unexpected winner,” he added.
‘Deewar 2’ has been conceived as a 60 second and 30-second film for television and YouTube and is being run with a big media push on mainline and regional TV channels along with a digital campaign.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
