MAM
Sanjay Dutt is Bagpiper Whiskey’s new brand ambassador
BANGALORE: Bagpiper Whisky, the flagship brand of the UB Group Spirits Division, has signed Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt as its brand ambassador. Dutt joins a select list of brand ambassadors from Bollywood for Bagpiper Whisky continuing the brand’s successful relationship with Bollywood heroes.
Making a dramatic entry in true Bollywood style, Sanjay Dutt began by saying the famous Bagpiper line, “Khoob Jamega rang, Jab mil baithenge teen yaar, aap, mai aur Bagpiper! ” He added, “I am very excited to be associated with Bagpiper, which is the market leader in India. It is also a pleasure to be associated with UB Spirits Division, which is the industry leader today. I look forward to building a strong relationship with the brand.”
UB Spirits Division president VK Rekhi said, “Bagpiper has always had a strong Bollywood connection in its 29-year history. Since the Bagpiper consumer enjoys a great bonding with Bollywood, this has been an excellent platform for brand communication. A pioneer in celebrity endorsements and movie sponsorships, the brand has had several film stars like Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan endorsing the brand. In continuation of this great tradition, we are proud to announce today, our association with Sanjay Dutt as the Brand Ambassador for Bagpiper.”
Commenting on the association with Sanjay Dutt, Herbertsons Ltd MD SD Lalla said, “Sanjay is an ideal fit for Bagpiper. An allround hero to the core, he personifies style, strength and machismo, which is exactly what Bagpiper stands for. Sanjay Dutt and Bagpiper have a lot in common; both are hugely popular, and have delighted consumers for several years!”
Brands
Jio Financial Services posts Rs 1,560 crore FY26 profit
Revenue rises to Rs 3,513 crore as investments and lending scale up.
MUMBAI: If money makes the world go round, Jio Financial Services Limited is quietly spinning a much bigger wheel. The Reliance-backed financial arm reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1,560.9 crore for FY26, slightly lower than Rs 1,612.6 crore in FY25, even as revenue growth gathered pace.
Total revenue from operations rose sharply to Rs 3,513.3 crore in FY26 from Rs 2,042.9 crore a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in interest income, which more than doubled to Rs 1,901.9 crore from Rs 852.5 crore. Fee and commission income also saw a significant jump to Rs 597 crore, compared to Rs 155.2 crore in FY25, reflecting expanding financial services activity.
For the March quarter, profit stood at Rs 272.2 crore, broadly flat compared to Rs 269 crore in the same period last year. Quarterly revenue from operations climbed to Rs 1,018.5 crore, up from Rs 493.2 crore year-on-year, signalling steady momentum in core income streams.
Expenses, however, moved in tandem with growth. Total costs nearly quadrupled to Rs 1,982.9 crore in FY26 from Rs 524.8 crore in FY25, with finance costs alone rising to Rs 745.1 crore from just Rs 7.7 crore a year earlier, reflecting increased borrowing and scale of operations. Employee expenses also grew to Rs 387.3 crore, while other expenses expanded to Rs 755 crore.
Profit before tax stood at Rs 1,911.7 crore for the year, slightly below Rs 1,946.9 crore in FY25. After accounting for a total tax outgo of Rs 350.8 crore, the company reported its final net profit figure.
Beyond the income statement, the balance sheet tells a story of rapid expansion. Total assets surged to Rs 1,63,497 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 1,33,510 crore a year earlier. Investments alone stood at Rs 1,33,088.7 crore, underscoring the company’s strong focus on treasury and financial asset growth.
However, the year also saw sharp volatility in other comprehensive income, which swung to a loss of Rs 16,028.3 crore, largely driven by fair value changes in equity instruments. This dragged total comprehensive income for FY26 to a negative Rs 15,756.1 crore, compared to a positive Rs 14,870 crore in FY25.
On the capital front, the company’s paid-up equity share capital remained steady at Rs 6,353.1 crore, with other equity rising to Rs 1,27,500.5 crore.
The numbers reflect a business in transition scaling rapidly across lending, investments and fee-based services, but also navigating the volatility that comes with mark-to-market movements in financial assets. In other words, while the top line is accelerating, the fine print still carries a few swings.
