Brands
Mirchi turns up the volume with 1000 hours of Pujo power
MUMBAI: Mirchi Bangla just made festive history by going live for a jaw-dropping 1,000 hours, turning Bengal’s beloved Durga Pujo and Kali Pujo into a round-the-clock celebration of sound, spirit and stories.
From Kolkata’s iconic pandals to the buzzing lanes of Siliguri, Asansol and Durgapur, Mirchi RJs were everywhere, playing games, giving away gifts and capturing the pulse of Pujo like never before.
The festival season also brought double joy for Mirchi, as its cult audio series Sunday Suspense crossed a landmark 3 million subscribers on Youtube, with 1.2 billion lifetime views and 372.6 million hours of listening time.
The celebrations hit a high note when superstar Jisshu Sengupta unveiled Mirchi’s special Pujo song, sung by Ujjaini Mukherjee, Sourav Chatterjee and Shreyoshi Chakraborty. And if that wasn’t enough, Mirchi also launched the Shyamasree Award during Kali Pujo, a unique honour recognising the artistry and devotion behind Bengal’s most creative pandals.
With star RJs Ayantika, Neel, Manali, Mohor, Sayan and Indroneel taking the festivities on the road in the Mirchi-branded Bahan and Singhabahini, Bengal truly danced to the rhythm of Mirchi this Pujo season. After all, when it comes to celebration, Mirchi doesn’t just play the hits, it makes history.
Brands
Malaika Arora launches accessories brand Maejoy
The Bollywood star’s lifestyle brand, built with Myntra and Exceed Entertainment, promises aspirational fashion without the high price tag
MUMBAI: Malaika Arora is not the first Bollywood star to put her name on a brand, and she will not be the last. But Maejoy, the accessories label she has launched in partnership with Myntra Jabong India Private Limited (MJIPL) and talent outfit Exceed Entertainment, at least has a sharper pitch than most. The brand drops with 250-plus styles spanning handbags and lab-grown diamond jewellery, two categories that sit squarely in the sweet spot between aspiration and affordability, and lands on Myntra’s platform from day one, putting it in front of millions of shoppers without breaking a sweat.
The handbag range covers the full gamut: crossbody bags, structured shoulder bags, bucket bags, totes, workwear classics, backpacks and clutches, rendered in synthetic leather, raffia, braids, satin, rhinestone and metallic finishes. The jewellery line runs to rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and tennis bracelets in silver, gold and rose-gold tones, set in 925 sterling silver with IGI and GCI certified lab-grown diamonds. The brand’s guiding philosophy, “The Joy of Being Me,” stakes its claim on individuality and self-expression; its three brand pillars, Authentic, Empowering, Accessible, are the usual suspects, though the lab-grown diamond bet is savvier than it sounds. Lab-grown stones now sell at a fraction of the price of mined ones, and the category is growing fast in India as younger buyers wise up to the arbitrage.
“Maejoy is a labour of love. Throughout my career, whether on screen, in business, or through my personal style, I’ve championed the idea that fashion should be empowering yet effortless. The brand aims to democratise global fashion trends while offering women something that extends the feeling of luxury every day, be it a lab-grown diamond or a perfectly crafted handbag,” said Malaika Arora, founder of Maejoy
MJIPL, the B2B wholesale arm of Myntra, is putting its design and brand-building muscle behind the venture. Suman Saha, chief experience officer and head of house of brands at MJIPL, was bullish on the tie-up.
“Maejoy brings together Malaika Arora’s distinctive style perspective with a strong proposition in the accessible yet elevated accessories space. We believe the brand’s fashion-forward designs and thoughtful positioning will connect strongly with discerning consumers.”
Suman Saha, chief experience officer, head of house of brands, MJIPL
Afsar Zaidi, chief executive of Exceed Entertainment, the talent management firm that helped broker the deal, has worked with MJIPL before and was characteristically direct about what makes Arora an unusually bankable partner.
“Building celebrity-led brands requires a delicate balance of authenticity and market viability. Malaika is a rare talent who commands equal respect as a fashion icon and a savvy businesswoman. We are proud to facilitate this partnership that brings together her creative clout and Myntra’s brand-building excellence,” said Zaidi
Celebrity fashion brands live or die on one question: does the star actually wear it, or is the cheque the only thing they signed? Arora, who has spent three decades as one of Bollywood’s most-watched style references, has at least built a plausible case. Maejoy is live now on www.myntra.com and the Myntra app. The real test, whether shoppers buy the handbag or just the hype, starts today.
