MAM
Painting Pongal with Heart Birla Opus colours festive togetherness
MUMBAI: When Pongal comes knocking, it’s not just the pots that get stirred homes, hearts and habits do too. Tapping into that festive reset, Birla Opus Paints, under Grasim Industries of the Aditya Birla Group, has rolled out a new Tamil Nadu–focused campaign that puts colour at the centre of celebration.
Timed around Pongal, the film spotlights the brand’s Style Colour Smart interior emulsion range, using a warm, slice-of-life narrative rather than sales talk. Set in a traditional joint family home, the story follows a young newlywed couple preparing for the festival navigating kolams, colour choices and family dynamics along the way.
As walls are refreshed and rooms come alive, the film quietly draws a parallel between new interiors and new beginnings. The emotional pivot arrives when the daughter-in-law, missing her own family’s Pongal rituals, is surprised by her husband, who invites her parents to join the celebrations. Two families, one freshly painted home and a festival that feels complete.
The campaign closes with a simple message, to start a new tradition, positioning colour not as décor alone, but as a catalyst for togetherness and change.
Commenting on the launch, Birla Opus Paints head of marketing Inderpreet Singh said the brand wanted to reflect the cultural warmth of Tamil Nadu while showing how refreshed interiors can elevate festive moments, especially during a festival rooted in renewal and gratitude.
By rooting its festive communication in familiar household rituals rather than spectacle, Birla Opus Paints aims to connect with consumers at a moment when homes and relationships are both getting a fresh coat.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
