Brands
Fire-Boltt ropes in Kiara Advani as brand ambassador
Mumbai: Homegrown wearable and audio brand, Fire-Boltt, announced the appointment of Bollywood actor Kiara Advani as its new brand ambassador. Kiara will be part of the marketing campaigns of the brand alongside cricketer Virat Kohli and actor Vicky Kaushal. The actress will participate in different marketing, advertising, and endorsement campaigns for the homegrown brand.
The collaboration is a reflection of Fire-Boltt’s aggressive expansion plans for the Indian market to provide its consumers with stylish yet affordable smart wearable options. The association with Kiara will help the brand to engage with the younger generation, and the company aims to tap into this pool.
Talking about her association with the brand, Kiara Advani, said, “I’m delighted to be associated with Fire-Boltt which is at the helm of fitness, style, and aesthetic. Fitness for me is imperative and I religiously follow it. Even on dull days, it’s a mood lifter. Given the fact that the brand is ‘Made in India’ and has made its mark in the market in such a short period of time, it is remarkable.”
Fire-Boltt founder & CEO Arnav Kishore asserted, “We are ecstatic to collaborate with Kiara Advani. Her personality resonates well with Fire-Boltt’s brand positioning. Kiara’s social and cheerful personality coupled with her fitness and style quotient is in sync with our vision of an evolved lifestyle for all countrymen ushered in by lifestyle devices such as a smartwatch. Just like a cell phone in every hand is a reality today, we want a smartwatch on every wrist in the wake of the new normal. Our association with Kiara, coupled with our existing associations with Virat Kohli and Vicky Kaushal, is a step towards that.”
Fire-Boltt co-founder Aayushi Kishore added, “We are firm believers in creating an ecosystem that addresses consumer demands with uniquely crafted products that are innovative yet stylish. Kiara will play a pivotal role in establishing us as one of the biggest and most trusted brands in the smart wearable category. Therefore, we are full steam ahead to capitalise on this opportunity and further penetrate the market with utmost dominance. With brand associations, special offers, social media contests, and many other ATL & BTL activations, we aim to build bridges for an active communication channel with the consumers.”
Fire-Boltt has recently launched over 30 smartwatches in the past six months and has also announced its expansion plans to newer markets beyond India, including the Middle East and Europe.
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.
