MAM
Dining in India now gets the Hollywood touch
NEW DELHI: Better late than never. Planet Hollywood, promoted by stars like Bruce Willis and film actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1992, has plans to dazzle India with a chain of branded restaurants.
Initial plan is to invest up to $ 15 million in five restaurants by 2010 with the first one slated to come up in Mumbai next year adjacent to a 400-room hotel property.
In line with its philosophy of starry dining and experience, Planet Hollywood not only plans to bring in some Hollywood stars as part of promotional blitz, but also wants to rope in Indian stars like former Miss Universe and Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen for endorsement.
For the Indian foray, Planet Hollywood has signed a master franchisee agreement with the US-based Arch Millennium Corp, which is promoted by Indian-origin businessmen.
“We plan to open one restaurant each in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Goa and Hyderabad,” Arch Millennium president and CEO Siddharth Mobar was quoted by Press Trust of India (PTI) as saying today.
As per the company’s plans, guests in Planet Hollywood India restaurant will be able to see what’s happening in other restaurant locations such as New York, Las Vegas, Orlando, London and Paris.
“We would be bringing in big stars like Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone in India as part of our promotional activities, while also trying to get other ones like Paris Hilton and Justin Timberlake (a teen heart-throb who was a boyfriend of Britney Spears and is the current squeeze of Cameroon Diaz),” Mobar was quoted by the news agency as saying.
The company, which has many of the dishes named on Hollywood stars, plans to add the local Indian flavor by roping in some of Bollywood’s stars in the coming time. Some of the unique dishes which will be on offer include ‘Chicken Crunch’ based on Indecent Proposal star Demi Moore’s recipe and ‘Banana Strudle’, which is based on a recipe of Schwarzenegger’s mother.
“We will also be displaying and selling Hollywood movie merchandise,” Mobar said, adding that this contributed about 10 per cent to revenue of each restaurant worldwide.
Each Planet Hollywood restaurant houses memorabilia from movies, old and new. The interior decor reflects various movie genre, including action, horror and Sci-Fi and the audio-visual system plays the latest movie trailers, clips, music videos and celebrity visits.
Planet Hollywood founder and chairman Robert Earl was quoted as saying there was a huge potential in the Indian market for their brand. “This franchisee agreement will bring the excitement of Hollywood and combine it with the power of Bollywood in a very special way,” he said in a statement.
Overall, there are 28 Planet Hollywood restaurants in locations like the US, Paris, London, Dubai, Hong Kong and Beijing.
MAM
Ameya Velankar steps down as Uber’s head of marketing for India & South Asia
Veteran marketer exits after more than seven years with the ride-hailing giant.
MUMBAI: After more than seven years of steering Uber through the bumpy roads of India’s mobility market, Ameya Velankar has decided to change lanes. Ameya Velankar has stepped down as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia, marking the end of a significant chapter at the ride-hailing company. He had been with Uber since 2019, taking on multiple roles in product and category marketing before rising to lead the marketing function for the region in 2021.
During his tenure, Velankar played a key role in strengthening Uber’s positioning in one of its most competitive and dynamic markets. He helped drive localised marketing strategies and scale adoption across key offerings such as Auto, Moto, Rentals and Intercity, tailoring global platforms to Indian consumer needs.
Prior to joining Uber, Velankar built his marketing expertise at leading consumer companies including SC Johnson and Marico, where he handled category and product leadership roles. His career began at RPG Enterprises.
Details of his next professional move have not been disclosed.
In a fast-evolving mobility landscape where brands constantly battle for attention, Ameya Velankar helped Uber stay relevant and resonant with millions of Indian users. As he moves on from the driver’s seat of marketing, the company will now look for fresh ideas to keep its wheels turning smoothly.
