MAM
Signature Masterclass provides a stage for aspiring filmmakers to MAKE THEIR MARK
Bengaluru: India is a country of a billion people and a billion stories. These stories are real, imagined, perfect, imperfect and most of the times unique. Signature Masterclass in its fourth season is providing a stage to the country’s aspiring filmmakers to pitch these stories live to their favorite celebrities and stand a chance to bring their story to life as a short film.
Signature Masterclass powered by Signature Packaged Drinking Water is a unique platform that has over the years celebrated the world of films though artists, filmmakers and their stories. In its fourth edition, the platform has partnered with celebrated artists like Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao and Tamannah Bhatia. During the event, the artists will share their most honest and personal stories on how they made their mark in the industry in front of a live audience hosted by Kubbra Sait, post that the filmmakers will get to pitch the stories to the artists.
Speaking about Signature Masterclass Season 4, Amarpreet Anand, EVP & Portfolio Head, Marketing, Diageo India, said, “Signature Masterclass has always celebrated real-life success stories and over the years the platform has inspired people to follow their dreams and make their mark. We are thrilled to now take it a step further by being enablers to these story tellers & aspiring filmmakers. It is exciting to have some of India’s most talented artists help us on this journey”
“Content today is getting more and more democratized. It is in this spirit that we wanted to take the romance between Signature Masterclass and Films a step further by converting it into a platform that enables a filmmaker’s journey. Even we had a bit of fun on this journey as we got to create unique stories inspired by popular films of our celebrities,” adds Khushboo Benani, Head of Content, Influencer Marketing and Brand Advocacy at Diageo India.
Signature Masterclass this season even brings together the blockbuster duo in the hero film. The film stars Ayushmann Khurrana and is directed by Amar Kaushik, the two recently collaborated on the hit film ‘Bala’ and continue to bring the magic on screen.
The Signature Masterclass events are being held in Pune, Kolkata, Guwahati and Hyderabad over January and February 2020 and filmmakers can submit their stories on www.signaturemasterclass.co.in to be a part of the campaign. This edition of Signature Masterclass has been curated by VICE Media in association with Kommune and India Film Project.
Brands
Jubilant Foodworks to end Dunkin’ franchise in India
Pizza chain operator will not renew agreement when it expires at end of 2026.
MUMBAI: When the doughnuts stop turning and the coffee goes cold, even a global giant like Dunkin’ can find the Indian market a tough brew to crack. Jubilant Foodworks has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with Dunkin’ when the pact expires on 31 December 2026, according to a Reuters report. The operator, best known for running Domino’s outlets in India, said it would evaluate options for its existing Dunkin’ stores, including a potential sale or transfer of franchise rights, in consultation with the US-based brand.
The decision follows years of underperformance in a market where local tastes and intense competition have made it difficult for international coffee-and-doughnut formats to gain traction. Jubilant, which has increasingly focused on its core pizza business and newer bets like Popeyes, indicated that the exit would not materially affect its financial or operational position.
Dunkin’ accounted for just 0.61 per cent of Jubilant’s revenue in the fiscal year ending 2025 and recorded a loss of approximately Rs 191 million, according to a regulatory filing. The company operated 27 outlets as of December 2025, having shuttered seven stores over the preceding year.
The retreat comes even as Jubilant’s broader business shows signs of momentum. The company reported a 65 per cent rise in quarterly profit for the October to December period, reaching Rs 70.9 crore, up from Rs 42.91 crore a year earlier.
For Jubilant, the exit reflects a sharpening strategic focus. For Dunkin’, it marks another setback in a market that has proven resistant to imported café concepts without significant localisation.
In the cut-throat world of Indian quick-service restaurants, sometimes the sweetest deals are the ones you quietly walk away from leaving more room for the brands that truly rise to the occasion.
