MAM
Star Sports signs Rana Daggubati, Puneeth Rajkumar & Diljit Dosanjh to push ProKabaddiLeague
MUMBAI: It has been quite evident since the launch of its in-house campaign #AsliPanga that Star Sports is going out guns blazing to promote the fourth leg of its flagship sports IP, Pro Kabaddi League (PKL).
The three promo videos that the channel released last month quite frankly make fun of the currently popular tropes in Hindi GECs, and caricatures the showdowns in the prime time news channels and doesn’t spare the overly VFX-fied south Indian films.
And when we thought the network couldn’t get more mass than this, with less than two days for the tournament to go on air, the channel has roped in three major personalities as its brand ambassadors — Rana Daggubati, Puneeth Rajkumar and Diljit Dosanjh.
While Rana Daggubati of ‘Bahubali’ fame is pleased to renew his association with the sport this season as well, Karnataka’s Puneeth Rajkumar, often touted as the region’s power star is also all charged up to give a leg up to rustic sport as well.
On the other hand, Diljit Dosanjh- singer, actor and television presenter from the Punjabi music industry who recently rose to fame with ‘Udta Punjab’ — is also looking forward to witness many super raids, super tackles and other super moves of Kabaddi.
In fact a promotional music video starring Diljit Dosanjh and released on 21 June is already garnering massive eyeballs on social media courtesy his tremendous popularity in the north and now in the Hindi speaking regions of the rest of India as wel, following the Udta Punjab controversy.
Subsequently, the channel today released similar music videos featuring Rana Daggubati and Puneeth Rajkumar on 23 June.
Speaking on its aggressive marketing strategy towards Star Sports Pro Kabaddi a Star India spokesperson said, “The first three seasons of the league saw an overwhelming response from TV viewers, stadium spectators and sports enthusiasts. There is a growing passion for the sport and this success helps us in our goal of encouraging sporting talent and nurturing heroes. Our brand ambassadors Rana Daggubati, Puneeth Rajkumar and Diljit Dosanjh lend their bold, powerful image to Star Sports Pro Kabaddi and re-iterate the spirit of Kabaddi. The fact that Kabaddi is now the country’s second most viewed sport, second only to cricket, brings us great pride.”
The fourth season is set to take place a couple of days from now – 25 June to 31 July with the existing eight teams participating. It will be the first time for an Indian league to be held two times in the same year.
“Unlike cricket and football, in the case of kabaddi, fans have limited opportunities to engage with the live sport. So, we decided to have the league twice a year,” said Star India sports president and head Nitin Kukreja. The reason: the channel has more faith in the IP, thanks to the year on year growth of the franchise.
As per ESP properties SportzPower report 2016, PKL has seen a whooping 300 percent growth, pushing its revenue to Rs 480 million in 2015, that too without a title sponsor.
The league has attracted premium brands – State Bank of India, TVS Motor, Bajaj Electricals, Flipkart. It added Gionee Mobiles and Idea Cellular as associate sponsors and got three new commercial partners in the form of PepsiCo, Indo Nissin Foods and Fair & Lovely Men Facewash in Season 3. Not to mention, Force Motors has recently announced itself as the principal sponsor for the Puneri Paltans for Season 4.
Brands
Nykaa eyes majority stake in Deepika Padukone’s 82°E brand
Deal could help scale premium label as Nykaa sharpens its beauty play
MUMBAI: Nykaa is in advanced discussions to acquire a majority stake in 82°E, the premium skincare label founded by Deepika Padukone, according to media reports.
The proposed deal signals Nykaa’s intent to deepen its House of Nykaa portfolio while giving 82°E the scale it has struggled to achieve independently. Padukone is expected to retain a minority stake if the transaction goes through.
For Nykaa, the play is both strategic and timely. With a customer base of over 42 million, the company is betting on its strong distribution, logistics, and repeat purchase ecosystem to revive the brand’s momentum. The two sides already share a working relationship, with Padukone serving as Nykaa’s global brand ambassador since September 2025.
Launched in late 2022, 82°E entered the market with a premium positioning but has faced headwinds. The brand reported revenue of Rs 14.7 crore in FY25, down 30 per cent year on year, alongside losses of Rs 12.26 crore. Industry observers have pointed to steep pricing, a somewhat diffused brand identity, and intense competition from digital-first labels as key challenges.
The potential acquisition also reflects a broader shift in India’s beauty and lifestyle space, where celebrity-led brands are increasingly partnering with larger corporates to unlock scale. Alia Bhatt’s Ed-a-Mamma, for instance, sold a majority stake to Reliance Retail, while Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty has emerged as a standout success within Nykaa’s portfolio, clocking Rs 132.4 crore in FY25 revenue.
Nykaa itself has been on a strong growth trajectory. Its parent, FSN E-Commerce Ventures, reported a 156 per cent jump in net profit to Rs 68 crore in the December 2025 quarter, with revenue reaching Rs 2,873 crore.
Nykaa has been steadily building its portfolio through acquisitions such as Dot & Key, Earth Rhythm and Nudge Wellness, signalling a clear push to own and scale homegrown brands.
If the 82°E deal materialises, it could mark a fresh chapter for the label, blending celebrity appeal with corporate muscle. For Nykaa, it is another calculated step in staying ahead in an increasingly crowded beauty aisle.
