MAM
Egmont Imagination India ties up with Vijayta Films
Egmont Imagination India has tied up with Vijayta Films for the launch of an entire range of products based on its forthcoming film – 23rd March 1931 Shaheed.
Egmont, the company that claims to have pioneered Bollywood film publishing, has acquired world rights from Vijayta Films (backed by film star Dharmendra and family) to publish and market the 23rd March 1931 Shaheed range of products in the country. The products extend from a graphic novel to an activity game, covering the entire spectrum of infotainment that would educate and interest children.
23rd March 1931 Shaheed, a big budget movie releasing this season, is based on the life of the Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Bobby Deol plays the coveted title role of Bhagat Singh while elder brother Sunny Deol portrays Chandrashekhar Azad’s character.
The products promoted by Egmont are targeted at children in the age group of four-12 years. The products are being designed and made keeping in mind the kids’ age and to indulge them in various activities like colouring, reading and creativity development. Priced between Rs 25 to Rs 195, the products will be available at all gift and book shops, kid stores, supermarkets and malls across India.
Timed for release in June, Egmont believes the strategy will work well for parents to keep their children busy during the monsoon, with indoor activities. Apart from a graphic novel with the full story of the movie, other products like the Mask Book, the Mystic pencil book, Magic Colouring book, the Jumbo colouring book for children are also part of the package. Children have an option of the Activity Kit or the Mega Kit, which are attractively packaged sets of the various products.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
