MAM
Jos Alukkas launches Second Sunrises Podcast on new beginnings
Six-episode podcast hosted by Suhasini Maniratnam spotlights remarriage.
MUMBAI: Every sunrise tells a story. Some simply shine brighter the second time. Jewellery brand Jos Alukkas has launched Second Sunrises, a six-episode storytelling podcast hosted by actor and filmmaker Suhasini Maniratnam, placing the spotlight on women who have chosen to begin again. The series explores remarriage, renewed companionship and fresh chapters in life, framing them not as footnotes but as defining milestones.
In India, conversations around remarriage particularly for women are often muted or confined to private circles. Second Sunrises moves that dialogue into the public domain, offering intimate, reflective conversations that treat second beginnings with dignity rather than drama. Across its six episodes, the podcast foregrounds courage, agency and the quiet strength required to choose happiness again.
The opening episode features actor and singer Mamta Mohandas. The series also includes Film and media personality Pooja Bedi, author Sudha Menon, actor and television host Ramya Subramanian, international badminton champion Jwala Gutta, and celebrated screen performers Pavitra Lokesh and Vijaykrishna Naresh. Each brings a deeply personal perspective on resilience, reinvention and rediscovery.
Suhasini Maniratnam, who hosts the series, noted that many women rebuild their lives with remarkable strength, yet their journeys are rarely discussed openly. She described the podcast as a space where such stories can unfold with honesty and warmth, reflecting the courage it takes to start over.
The series has been developed in collaboration with Dentsu Creative Isobar and the Dentsu Podcast Network. Dentsu Creative Isobar CEO Sahil Shah said the intent was to challenge the notion that second beginnings are tied to failure or loss. Instead, he suggested, choosing to begin again is among the most courageous acts a person can undertake.
Dentsu Podcast Network vice president Aditya Kuber added that the creative approach prioritised authenticity over commentary. The conversations are designed to feel unhurried, allowing lived experiences to shape the narrative in their own rhythm.
For Jos Alukkas, the initiative signals a broader engagement with contemporary social realities. While traditionally associated with milestone celebrations, the brand appears keen to acknowledge that modern milestones are as much about renewal and personal choice as they are about convention.
Second Sunrises begins streaming this week on Youtube and leading audio platforms, inviting listeners to tune in and perhaps reconsider what a “new beginning” truly looks like.
MAM
Smytten appoints Shishir Varma as CEO of Pulseai Research
Rebranded AI platform scales with 150 plus clients and 30 million users.
MUMBAI: In a world obsessed with what consumers say, Smytten is betting on what they actually do. The company has appointed Shishir Varma as chief executive officer of Pulseai Research, signalling a sharper push into AI-led, behaviour-driven consumer insights. The move comes as Smytten rebrands its insights vertical from Smytten PulseAI to Pulseai Research, marking a shift away from traditional, project-based research towards a more continuous, intelligence-led model.
Varma brings over 30 years of global experience across APAC markets, including India, China and Japan. Most recently managing director, Insights at Kantar Japan, he has built and scaled consumer insight businesses across geographies, including playing a key role in establishing Millward Brown in India. His mandate now: turn Pulseai into a category-defining platform in a space still dominated by surveys and static reports.
The pitch is straightforward but ambitious. Instead of relying on claimed responses, Pulseai Research taps into observed behaviour leveraging Smytten’s ecosystem of 30 million users built over a decade of product discovery, trials and purchases. The idea is to close the long-standing gap between what consumers claim and how they actually behave.
The numbers suggest early traction. In under 18 months, the platform has onboarded over 150 enterprise clients across sectors, pointing to growing demand for faster, more reliable alternatives to legacy research models.
Under the hood, the platform blends behavioural data with AI and large language model-led analysis to deliver real-time sentiment tracking, scalable qualitative insights, faster quantitative studies and always-on brand intelligence. In practical terms, that means compressing research timelines from weeks to days without sacrificing depth.
The ambition extends beyond FMCG. Pulseai Research is positioning itself as a cross-category intelligence layer, spanning auto, education, gadgets and emerging consumer segments anywhere behaviour-rich data can sharpen decision-making.
For Smytten, the leadership hire is less about optics and more about direction. With Varma at the helm, the company is leaning into a simple but powerful premise: in the age of AI, insight isn’t just about asking better questions, it’s about watching more closely.
