Brands
Smartivity’s new ad urges parents to swap screen time for curiosity time
MUMBAI: Curiosity may have killed the cat, but screens are slowly smothering the kids. Smartivity, India’s leading Stem-based educational toy brand, has launched a poignant new commercial that spotlights a growing parenting dilemma: children losing their natural sense of wonder as screens take over their days and their questions.
Released in November 2025 and crafted by Motima Films, the ad captures the quiet heartbreak of curiosity fading. A child asks questions, a distracted parent half-answers, and the spark dims. With no one left to respond, children retreat to passive screen content: bright, noisy, and endlessly distracting, yet offering little to think about or explore.
Smartivity’s film flips the script by showing what happens when screens give way to screws, gears and hands-on play. As the child assembles a Smartivity Stem toy, curiosity returns: eyes widen, fingers move, gears turn and wonder comes rushing back in. The brand’s philosophy, “build. play. learn.”, shines through every frame.
The film nudges parents to rethink screen habits and choose experiences that encourage discovery, presence and purposeful play. Because, as the film gently reminds, curiosity grows when children feel heard, engaged and free to tinker their way into understanding the world.
Co-founder Ashwini said the film mirrors what many families witness daily.
“Kids’ curiosity is being diverted to screens. Smartivity was created to change that. Our toys help children explore, build and discover answers through hands-on play, the way curiosity is meant to grow.”
Marketing head Sumedha added, “Children now turn to screens for answers. Through this film, we want to inspire a shift from passive screen time to purposeful play. Smartivity’s toys give kids a hands-on way to stay curious.”
Brands
FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
