Brands
Asian Paints Sharad Shamman turns 40
MUMBAI: Kolkata’s iconic taxi has just been given the ride of its life, thanks to ‘Asian Paints Sharad Shamman,’ which this year celebrates 40 colourful years of Pujo pride. Marking the milestone, Asian Paints has unveiled ‘Choltey Choltey Chollish,’ a cinematic campaign and travelling installation that transforms the city’s beloved yellow cab into a rolling time machine. The film zips through four decades of Durga Pujo, blending nostalgia and newness in equal measure.
The journey begins in the 1980s, with bamboo pandals and radio melodies, cruises into the ’90s with the rise of themes, steers into the 2000s spotlight of global attention and social messaging, and finally parks in today’s world of AR, VR and digital-first celebrations. Each era is splashed across the taxi’s changing surface: hand-painted motifs and designs shining in royale glitz, capturing the essence of Kolkata’s creativity.
Music, too, gets a seatbelt moment. From retro tunes to modern beats, every decade’s soundtrack weaves into the storytelling, making the cab not just a carrier of memories but a jukebox of Pujo.
“Festivals mirror their times, showing how societies evolve,” said Asian Paints, md & ceo, Amit Syngle. “With ‘Choltey Choltey Chollish,’ we wanted to honour 40 years of artistry while resonating with today’s generation. The yellow taxi embodies that timeless journey.”
Ogilvy North, chief creative officer, Sujoy Roy added, “This is more than a tribute. It’s a love letter to Kolkata: its traditions, its imagination and the enduring spirit of Pujo.”
With its stylised visuals, vibrant music and a fresh, youthful tone, the campaign doesn’t just celebrate ‘Sharad Shamman,’ it reaffirms Asian Paints’ place as Pujo’s unofficial custodian, turning art, culture and community into a living, moving canvas.
Because in Kolkata, even a cab ride can feel like a festival.
Brands
Adani Enterprises takes full control of IANS with final stake buy
Rs 4.7 crore deal completes acquisition, making news agency wholly owned unit
MUMBAI: Adani Enterprises has tightened its grip on the media space, completing the acquisition of the remaining stake in IANS India Private Limited and turning the news agency into a wholly owned step-down subsidiary.
The final leg of the deal was executed through AMG Media Networks Limited, which picked up the balance 24 per cent Category I shares with voting rights and 0.74 per cent Category II shares without voting rights. The all-cash transaction, valued at Rs 4.70 crore, brings to a close a process first set in motion in January this year.
A regulatory filing under SEBI confirmed that the acquisition was completed on 24 March 2026. The company also disclosed the development to BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited, in line with listing requirements.
With the transaction now wrapped up, IANS sits fully within Adani’s media fold under a two-tier structure led by AMNL. While classified as a related party transaction, the company noted it was carried out on an arm’s length basis.
Founded in 1994, IANS has long been in the business of gathering and distributing news content. However, its financials tell a softer story, with turnover slipping over recent years to Rs 8.81 crore in FY25 from Rs 11.86 crore in FY23.
For Adani Enterprises, the move signals more than a tidy consolidation. It sharpens its media ambitions, placing IANS firmly within its growing content and distribution play.
