MAM
Paint it posh Birla Opus adds luxury strokes to Indian wall finishes
MUMBAI: Why just colour your walls when you can couture them? Birla Opus Paints is bringing the runway to the living room with its new Designer Finish range, two luxe collections that aim to give Indian interiors a high-fashion upgrade, one wall at a time.
Unveiled by Aditya Birla Group’s Grasim Industries, the Dream and Timeless collections are part of a bold push to make walls more than just backdrops. Think high-definition 3D textures, metallic shimmers, and artisanal finishes inspired by nature and Italian craftsmanship, all underpinned by eco-friendly innovation.
The Dream Collection leans into drama, offering 14 nature-themed designs across 140 permutations. Whether you fancy a wall that evokes the sea or the shimmer of clouds at dusk, the collection comes with water-resistant, long-lasting shades made to impress. Bonus: it’s not just beautiful, it’s built to last.
Meanwhile, the Timeless Collection keeps things earthy and elegant. With lime-based finishes that mimic the raw textures of stone, clay and marble, it’s made for those who like their luxury with a little rustic soul. And both ranges walk the green talk, with low-VOC formulations that keep indoor air quality breathable and healthy.
But the real flex? Experience-led retail. Birla Opus is not just selling paint; it’s selling inspiration. The brand is rolling out Paint Studios in cities like Mumbai, Gurugram and Lucknow immersive spaces where customers can see and touch the new finishes before committing to a makeover. These studios, along with a growing network of franchise stores, are part of the brand’s ambitious plan to make upscale design feel personal and accessible.
Commenting on the launch Birla Opus Paints CEO Rakshit Hargave said, “At Birla Opus Paints, we understand that today’s consumers are seeking more than just products; they desire experiences and products that reflect purpose and value.Our aim is not only to redefine creativity with advanced design technology and sustainable solutions, but to also set new standards in interior luxury.At the back of our Paint Studio and franchisee stores launches across India, we’re now presenting consumers with these exquisite finishes inspired from nature’s beauty and Italian artistrythat will definitely adda taste of luxury to your home.”
With plans to expand into more metros including Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad and Kolkata, Birla Opus is aiming for national saturation and wall domination.
Because in 2025, walls don’t just wear paint. They wear personality.
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
