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Autistic-friendly ‘Sing’ screening held at PVR
MUMBAI: Vkaao, India’s first-ever ‘theatre-on-demand’ service that enables individuals to choose the films that play in their local theatres, recently celebrated World Autism Awareness Day in a special way.
The platform collaborated with Autism Centre for Excellence (ACE) to conduct a unique sensory-friendly movie screening of the movie ‘Sing’ for individuals with autism and their families. The screening was recently held at PVR Sangam, Delhi, in a safe and comforting environment designed especially to cater to the specific viewing requirements of autistic individuals.
Sounds and lights were paid specific attention to by Vkaao during the screening. Lights were turned up for a better viewing experience, while the sound was turned down to levels more palatable to individuals on the autistic spectrum. This attention to detail was one of the prime reasons for the success of the Vkaao screening; the show was a houseful affair and audience members were seen enjoying the movie to the fullest, singing and dancing throughout the movie.
PVR Pictures CEO Kamal Gianchandani said, “Autism affects more than 10 million people in India but awareness about this unique disorder is very limited. Our aim to associate with ACE to host this special screening of ‘Sing’ was to raise greater awareness about the issue. Witnessing the joy on the faces of people who attended the screening was extremely gratifying. We hope this initiative will help foster a nurturing, supportive environment for individuals on the autistic spectrum in the country.”
A school for autistic children, ACE was conceived with the vision of improving the level and quality of autism-related interventions in India. ACE aims to utilise cutting-edge research and standardised educational practices to improve the outcome for children with moderate-to-severe autism.
Vkaao focuses on leveraging state-of-the-art technology in order to create a social, crowd-sourced movie going experience.
Brands
Devyani International Ltd plans three-subsidiary merger to streamline operations
QSR operator moves to streamline structure and unlock operational synergies
Devyani International is tightening its corporate kitchen. The quick-service restaurant operator has approved a scheme to merge three subsidiaries—Sky Gate Hospitality, Blackvelvet Hospitality and Say Chefs Eatery—into the parent company in a bid to simplify its structure and sharpen operational efficiency.
The decision was cleared at a board meeting on March 10 and disclosed in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges. The merger will take effect from April 1, 2025, subject to statutory approvals.
All three transferor companies are direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, meaning no fresh shares will be issued and the shareholding pattern of Devyani International will remain unchanged once the scheme is completed.
The subsidiaries together operate more than 100 outlets—including dine-in restaurants and cloud kitchens, spread across over 40 cities such as Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru.
Devyani International, the largest franchisee of Yum Brands in India, said the consolidation is aimed at generating operational synergies, optimising resource utilisation and reducing layers within the corporate structure.
Financially, the move brings together businesses of varying scale. As of March 31, 2025, Devyani International reported a net worth of Rs 10,381.02 million and turnover of Rs 33,493.33 million. Sky Gate Hospitality posted a net worth of Rs 761.14 million with turnover of Rs 2,657.57 million, while Blackvelvet Hospitality and Say Chefs Eatery reported smaller operations and negative net worth.
The merger will consolidate these operations under a single corporate umbrella as the company sharpens its focus on scale and efficiency.
Devyani International currently runs more than 2,000 outlets across over 280 cities in India, Nigeria, Nepal and Thailand. Its portfolio includes franchise rights for brands such as Pizza Hut, KFC, Costa Coffee, Tea Live, New York Fries and Sanook Kitchen, alongside its own food brands.
With the paperwork underway and approvals pending, Devyani is essentially clearing the corporate clutter—turning three subsidiaries into one tighter, leaner operation. In the QSR world, even the back office needs a spring clean.
