News Broadcasting
Excel Home Videos strike gold in Synergy marketing
MUMBAI: Excel Home Videos, (India’s leading Home Entertainment Company and licensee for Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox) has set a precedent for the Home Entertainment segment with back to back DVD successes since the beginning of the year. The achievement has been attributed to innovative synergy marketing.
“”Re- Releasing DVDs coinciding with the theatrical release of the films’ sequels (Pirates of the Caribbean, X-men), summer releases for children movies (Narnia, Chicken Little), or releasing DVDs relevant to topical events (Goal during FIFA world cup), or the documentary titled Cracking the Da Vinci Code with the theatrical release has done wonders for these DVDsThough Synergy is not a new concept in India, Home Entertainment segment here has witnessed scarce activity on this front,” said Excel Home Videos MD MN Kapasi.
“Merely coinciding the release hasn’t achieved us the feat. The entire effort has been well coordinated with effective pricing, DVD visibility in stores, innovative advertising among other aspects,” added Kapasi.
The success has merited attention from International Studios, who are bullish about the steady growth of the home entertainment segment in India.
“We highly commend Excel’s ‘approach to market’ in this growing segment in India. This is a priority market for us and we continue to work closely with all our associates in growing the kids and family entertainment business. With presence in almost every entertainment media, Disney is best positioned to provide and support synergistic approach for our business relationships in India,” says Walt Disney Company (India) managing director Rajat Jain.
The ball started rolling after the DVD re-release of the Brad Pitt starrer Fight Club few weeks before its desi version hit the big screen. Advertisement spots were booked along side posters of the Indian version in leading publications. Though the Indian version was a non-starter at the box office, the English DVD did roaring business with the pre launch hype.
Then came the biggest success story of the year, The Chronicles of Narnia, whose DVD was released coinciding with the summer vacations. This along with some innovative marketing activities aimed at children created history by making it the highest selling Disney DVD in India. X-men DVDs released along side the Theatrical Release of X Men -3 further stamped the mantra.
Similarly synergy marketing saw the DVD of the documentary titled Cracking the Da Vinci Code flying off the shelves following its controversy. The DVD sold 4 times more than when it released a year ago.
Success strories repeated with the film Goal. FIFA saw the most unusual DVD success. Goal, a movie based on soccer which went relatively unnoticed during its theatrical release, gained tremendously from the soccer frenzy that had gripped the nation. The DVD did well across the country especially in Bengal, Goa and Kerala apart from the metros.
The theatrical hype and consequent success of the Pirates of the Caribbean charted another mega success saga. The DVD achieved the number one slot on the charts for over 8 weeks, a first time for any DVD re-release. The Trend continues with release of Pixar titles (Incredibles, Finding Nemo) coinciding with the pre release hype of Cars, the latest Pixar edition, the release of Manoj Shyamlan’s earlier collection alongside the latest Lady in Water.
The Trend continues with release of Pixar titles (Incredibles, Finding Nemo) coinciding with the pre release hype of Cars, the latest Pixar edition, the release of Manoj Shyamlan’s earlier collection alongside the latest Lady in Water.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
