MAM
TV actresses join Aishwarya Rai for Nakshatra launch
MUMBAI: Greek legend has it that diamonds are splinters of stars that have fallen to earth. But, the truth is that even diamonds need a 360-degree marketing spin!
The Diamond Trading Company (DTC) certainly knows how to stretch every rupee it spends on advertising and promotions. It used television actresses (from serials where it advertises) to walk the ramp and got popular Spanish fashion house Mango to sponsor the dresses! The company also knows how to create photo-opportunities galore by using a rare mix of photogenic television actresses and the one and only Miss Elegance personified Aishwarya Rai who actually made it to the venue in a wheel-chair!.
DTC launched brand ambassadress Aishwarya Rai’s signature collection from the Nakshatra Diamond Jewellery range – Ash’s Choice. At the launch function held on 7 May 2003 at JW Marriott Hotel, 10 television actresses from various TV serials walked the ramp even as an injured Rai held centre stage. TV personality Sajid Khan was the compere for the show!
The list of TV actresses included: Nigar Khan (Lipstick), Pooja Madan (Amaanat, Campus), Amita Nangia (Tara, Hum Paanch), Roopali Ganguly (Sanjeevani, Dil Hai Ki..), Prachi Shah (Kyunki Saas…), Kishwar (Kasautii Zindagi Kay), Shruti Ulfat (Chalti Ka Naam Antakshari), Tasneem (Kkusum, Kumkum), Shradha Nigam (Choodiyan, Krishna Arjun) and Smita Bansal (Amaanat, Sarhadein). It looks as if DTC must have roped in the actresses from all the serials in which it advertises!
Brand ambassadress Rai was quoted in a release as saying: “I am delighted to present my very own signature collection from the Nakshatra Diamond Jewellery range. I am certain that the chosen few women who will purchase jewellery from this range will experience as much delight in owning and wearing it, as I enjoyed putting it together. Every piece of Ash’s Choice is special to me and reflects a part of me. With my signature collection, I can reach out to women who possess my kind of spirit.”
DTC and Diamond Information Centre chief executive Devika Gidwani and Rai also lit the traditional lamp to commemorate the commencement of Nakshatra Utsav, a month diamond jewellery festival across 44 cities.
Gidwani says: “The Utsav will showcase all the designs of our exquisite diamond jewellery. We sought designs from some of the top designers in the country. What makes Ash’s Choice highly exclusive and elite is the fact that it is a limited edition of 1,000 pieces featuring 10 unique designs each personally selected and endorsed by our gorgeous brand ambassadress Aishwarya Rai.”
The collection will be available selectively only at 100 retail outlets in the entire country. DTC also announced that the Nakshatra Utsav has several dazzling surprises in store for consumers, including an “exquisitely designed and specially woven Nakshatra Kanjivaram sari in the rich aqua signature colour of Nakshatra for consumers who make purchases of Rs 30,000 or more.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Gidwani says: “We kicked off the promotion with Sony Entertainment Television’s Kahaani Terii Merii during the wedding season. In order to keep the hype and interest alive, we have conceptualised the Nakshatra Utsav. We shall be focusing on the trade for this promotion. We shall create the requiste ambience at each retailer’s outlet. We shall also offer a lot of incentives to the select group of retailers.”
The incentive to retailers is understandable considering the prices! Ash’s Choice will be available in two qualities VVS-G and VS-G and priced at Rs 50,000, Rs 75,000 and Rs 100,000. Each piece will be numbered distinctively and carry a special certificate issued and signed by Rai.
Brands
Dabur buys minority stake in Ras Beauty for Rs 60 crore
Dabur Ventures deal backs fast-growing luxury skincare brand
MUMBAI: Dabur India Limited has dipped into the world of luxury skincare, signing a definitive agreement to acquire a minority stake in Ras Beauty Private Limited for Rs 60 crore. The investment marks the first bet from Dabur Ventures, the FMCG major’s Rs 500 crore platform set up in October 2025 to back high-potential, new-age direct-to-consumer brands.
Founded in Raipur by Shubhika Jain, her sister Suramya Jain and their mother Sangeeta Jain, Ras Beauty has grown from a family-led passion project into a fast-scaling “Farm-to-Face” skincare label. Its range of face elixirs, serums and moisturisers blends essential oils with nature-derived actives, striking a balance between botanical purity and laboratory precision.
The numbers tell their own story. Ras has clocked a three-year Cagr of around 75 per cent and an annual run rate of approximately Rs 100 crore, all while maintaining strong gross margins. That growth has been fuelled by a digital-first approach, in-house R&D and manufacturing, and a sharp focus on clean, sustainable sourcing.
Dabur India executive director and group head corporate strategy Abhinav Dhall, said the company was drawn to Ras’s distinct positioning at the intersection of nature, science and luxury. He added that the premium beauty segment is poised for robust expansion over the coming decade, and that Ras is well placed to capture that opportunity.
For Ras, the partnership is as much about scale as it is about shared philosophy. Co-founder and CEO Shubhika Jain said Dabur’s 141-year legacy of building trusted, purpose-led brands makes it a natural ally. The capital infusion, she noted, will help accelerate the brand’s omnichannel footprint, deepen research capabilities and invest in team and brand building, with an eye on establishing Ras as a leading Indian luxury skincare name both domestically and overseas.
With this move, Dabur is not just investing in a skincare label. It is placing an early wager on India’s growing appetite for premium, conscious beauty, and signalling that heritage FMCG players are ready to play in the new-age D2C arena.
