MAM
Bharat Matrimony bets on AI to align stars
MUMBAI: When tradition meets technology, even the stars take note. Bharat Matrimony has partnered with AI startup Ask My Guru (AMG), investing 500,000 dollars to bring centuries-old Vedic astrology into the digital matchmaking era. The move follows AMG’s 1.2 million dollar seed round, taking total funding to 1.72 million dollars, aimed at accelerating AI-driven astrological compatibility for modern users.
Astrology continues to shape over 80 per cent of Indian marriages, and this partnership bridges cultural wisdom with AI precision. Ask My Guru’s platform makes horoscopes instantly accessible while adding deeper, nuanced insights to compatibility analysis, blending faith, tradition, and technology seamlessly.
“Marriage is not only about bringing two people together but ensuring harmony between them. Astrology has always played a vital role in this process. With Ask My Guru’s AI-powered astrology, we combine tradition with cutting-edge technology for the benefit of millions,” said Matrimony.com Group founder & CEO Murugavel Janakiraman.
AMG’s founders, Krishna Mohan Vedula and Vivek Sadamate, bring over a decade of experience in scaling consumer platforms. “Bharat Matrimony’s trust in our vision will elevate AI-driven astrology from a niche tool into a mainstream, culturally anchored solution,” Vedula said. “Users will now enjoy real-time compatibility assessments, personalised astrological guidance, and multi-dimensional life insights, making AI astrology a transformative part of matchmaking.”
Launched in June 2025, Ask My Guru has already recorded 5 million chats and 400,000 registered users. With Bharat Matrimony’s backing, AI astrology will now be integrated into the matchmaking experience, expanding language support and predictive precision, and positioning AMG as a leader in AI-enabled Vedic guidance.
This strategic partnership underscores Matrimony.com’s vision to future-proof India’s most cherished tradition, ensuring that even in a digital age, the stars continue to guide the journey to “happily ever after.”
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
