Special Report
Star CJ, Providence: Life after Star India
When India’s leading broadcast network Star India announced last month that it was exiting the Star CJ joint venture (in favour of Providence Equity) which it had set up with South Korean home shopping major CJ O Shopping, observers wondered about the course the four and a half year old company would take in the Indian market.
The two had over that period established a 24×7 home shopping channel called Star CJ Alive, which reaches more than 50 million homes, a web-based portal StarCJ.com which allows third party sellers to list their products for sale, and had managed to attract more than 5 million shoppers.
A large part of that acceptance in India was on account of Star. The latter has a lot of clout thanks to its large channel bouquet, giving it lots of leverage in India’s highly competitive broadcasting and fragmented cable TV markets. And then there is the credibility of the Star brand with Indian viewers, especially housewives, who bought products from TV because of that trust.
The question was: would Star CJ Network be at a disadvantage without Star?
Star CJ Network India CEO Kenny Shin does not think so. He says that the joint venture has about a year before it will have to drop the Star tag. Already, the company has designed a new mascot ‘Shoppie’ which will work at bridging the gap between the current name and until the new name is finalised. “The name has to be such that consumers can connect with it as Star will be moving out of the brand name,” says Shin. “However, Star India was only a financial investor. It was we who were managing the business and we are extremely optimistic about the market.”
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Indeed it was Star India ad sales and distribution president Paritosh Joshi who had been deputed by CEO Uday Shankar to lead the Star CJ joint venture in its early days. But Joshi got the company on its feet and running and quit in 2012, after handing over to Shin who has been at the helm since.
For the south Korean firm which is the second largest home shopping company in the world, India is among the high growth and focus markets, after China, and hence it is imperative that its India play pans out right.
Global home shopping leader QVC Home Shopping (part of Liberty Interactive) turns over $8-9 billion each year, CJ O Shopping which notched up revenues of $4.6 billion has a lot of catching up to do; though its vice-chairman Miky Lee is gunning for global leadership status by 2020. Apart from China and India she is driving the company towards expansion in other markets such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey and even Latin America.
CJ O Shopping believes it has a good partner in Providence to help achieve its ambitions in India. Says Shin: “We have a long term partnership with Providence. Their global average investment relation is an average six years. That’s a long time. Providence also has knowledge of the business with their investment in the German shopping channel.”
Home shopping in India is about a Rs 2000 crore opportunity today and Star CJ Network accounts for about 35-40 per cent of that. And that despite the fact that the 700 employee strong company is working in a restricted manner in India as compared to other territories. Because of foreign direct investment restrictions, which prohibit multi brand retail in the country, Star CJ operates as a wholesale cash and carry company. Viewers call in after watching the product capsules on Star CJ Alive to its call centres which then pass on the order to one of the five franchises it has appointed nationally. These then deliver the products to the home shopper through logistics partners.
Star CJ on its part handles the backend, which includes content creation for the television channel, product selection, procurement, warehousing and marketing. An extremely efficient ERP system works as the glue for the whole operation.
Headquartered in Mumbai with three studios and three control rooms, it has offices in Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad as well. Warehouses are located in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru and Mumbai.
It has plans to open a warehouse in West Bengal at an investment of about Rs 2 crore by 2015 in order to ensure fast delivery in the eastern part of the country, apart from establishing a more efficient warehouse and logistics management system. About 70 per cent of its revenues come from urban India and it delivers to more than 4500 pin codes.
Currently the company has a little less than 2000 products from 210 brands. 49 per cent of the products are Indian such as Satya Paul, Tanishq, Asmi, Videocon; 26 per cent are international brands such as FILA, BlackBerry, LG, Canon, Dell, Sony, Samsung, Adidas, Reebok and the remaining 26 per cent are exclusive Star CJ brands such as Malhar, Sharika. 20 per cent of transactions are accounted for by kitchen appliances followed by 17 per cent contribution from both IT/cameras and small appliances. Fashion trails at 14 per cent.
All the products go through a quality test and are put through sampling by 20 customers. If they meet with approval, they get onto the Star CJ catalogue. Despite this rigorous filtration process, products are returned to vendors and providers if they don’t move fast from the warehouses.
The average customer transaction value is around Rs 3000 currently, reveals Shin. He is hoping to take this up by bringing in more international brands as well as travel goods.
Revenue has been growing at a rapid clip of about 50 per cent annually and estimates are that Star CJ Network clocked in Rs 800 crore in sales last year. Estimates are that more than $100 million has been sunk into the venture and losses are at about half that. Shin, however, is sanguine of breaking even this year and has set his eyes on $1 billion in sales by 2018-2019.
Shin’s predecessor Joshi believes that the numbers are achievable, keeping in mind the buoyancy amongst India’s consumers.
“About 55 per cent of India’s GDP is consumer spending. This accounts for about $1 trillion. Of this 20 per cent is accounted for by organised retail. Estimates are that the home shopping business is going to swell to $10 billion, leaving enough room for many players,” says a media observer.
Indeed, Star CJ Alive’s closest competitor- Network18’s HomeShop18- has already applied for a listing and public offering on the New York stock exchange. Shin says he is hoping to get Star CJ Network listed on the Bombay Stock exchange in about three years.
Currently, Star CJ Alive can be viewed on almost all the DTH platforms Tata Sky, Dish TV, Videocon d2h and Airtel Digital; the only one it has not managed to get on to is Sun Direct. It has deals in place with the major multisystem operators such as Hathway, Den Network, Fastway, GTPL and Siticable. Again it has not managed to get carriage on major MSOs in south India.
The lack of distribution in the south has meant that only 10 per cent of the company’s sales emanate from there. But Shin believes that this will be overcome in the not too distant future when the channel will start beaming its product capsules in regional languages. The company will be seeking governmental clearances for the same in terms of licensing. “We are looking at a regional expansion in the next two years post our rebranding,” he says.
Around 5 per cent of its total sales come from its starcj.com portal, with 65 per cent of the traffic coming from users on PCs and laptops. The remainder log on to the portal from their mobile hand phones or tablets. Shin wants to double and treble revenue from starcj.com over the next few years. A mobile app is being developed to make mobile shopping an easier experience for shoppers.
“Looking at the change in the consumer behaviour in India due to the penetration of online shopping, we intend to strengthen our presence online and reach out to a wider consumer base, ” Shin had told indiantelevision.com sometime back. “TV home shopping is however going to be our linchpin.”
Shall we say amen to that?
MUMBAI: Some friendships are made in heaven; others are coded in Mumbai. Hamara Vinayak, the first-ever digital original from Siddharth Kumar Tewary’s Swastik Stories, turns the divine into the delightful, serving up a story that’s equal parts start-up hustle and spiritual hustle.
Some tech start-ups chase unicorns. This one already has a god on board. Hamara Vinayak takes the leap from temple bells to notification pings and it does so with heart, humour and a healthy dose of the divine.
At its core, the show asks a simple but audacious question: what if God wasn’t up there, but right beside you, maybe even debugging your life over a cup of chai?
The show’s tagline, “God isn’t distant… He’s your closest friend” perfectly captures its quirky soul. Across its first two episodes, screened exclusively for media in Mumbai, the series proves that enlightenment can come with a good punchline.
The series follows a group of ambitious young entrepreneurs running a Mumbai-based tech start-up that lets people around the world book exclusive virtual poojas at India’s most revered shrines. But as their app grows, so do their ethical grey zones. Into this chaos walks Vinayak, played with soulful serenity and sly wit by the charming Namit Das, a young man whose calm smile hides something celestial.
He’s got the peaceful look of a saint but the wit of someone who could out-think your favourite stand-up comic. Around him spins a crew of dream-driven youngsters – Luv Vispute, Arnav Bhasin, Vaidehi Nair and Saloni Daini who run a Mumbai-based tech start-up offering devotees across the world the chance to book “exclusive” poojas at India’s most sacred shrines. It’s a business plan that blends belief and broadband – and, as the story unfolds, also tests the moral compass of its ambitious founders.
“The first time I read the script, I found the character very pretty,” Namit joked at the post-screening interaction. “It’s a beautiful thought that God isn’t distant, he’s your closest friend. And playing Vinayak, you feel that calm but also his cleverness. He’s the friend who makes you think.”
The reactions to the series ranged from smiles to sighs of wonder. Viewers were charmed by the show’s sincerity and sparkle, a quality that stems from its creator’s belief that faith can be funny without being frivolous.
Among the cast, Luv Vispute shines brightest, his comic timing adding sparkle to the show’s more reflective beats. But what keeps Hamara Vinayak engaging is the easy rhythm of its writing – one moment touching, the next teasing, always gently reminding us that spirituality doesn’t have to be solemn.
Luv spoke fondly of his long association with Swastik. “Since my first show was with Swastik, this feels like home,” he said. “Every project with them is positive, feel-good, and this one just had such a different vibe. I truly feel blessed.”
Saloni Daini, who brings infectious warmth to her role, added that she signed up the moment she heard the show was about “Bappa.”
“We shot during the Ganpati festival,” she recalled. “The energy on set was incredible festive, faithful, and full of laughter. It’s such a relatable story for our generation: chaos, friendship, love, kindness, and faith all mixed together.”
Vaidehi Nair and Arnav Bhasin complete the ensemble, each representing different shades of ambition and morality in the start-up’s journey. Their camaraderie is easy and believable, a testament to how much the cast connected off-screen as well.
This clever fusion of mythology and modernity plays to India’s two enduring loves, entertainment and faith. Mythology has long been the comfort zone of Indian storytellers, from the televised epics of the 1980s to the glossy remakes that still command prime-time TRPs. For decades, gods have been our most bankable heroes. But Hamara Vinayak tweaks the formula not by preaching, but by laughing with its characters, and sometimes, at their confusion about where divinity ends and data begins.
Creator Siddharth Kumar Tewary, long hailed as Indian television’s myth-maker for shows like Mahabharat, Radha Krishn and Porus, explained the show’s intent with characteristic clarity, “This is our first story where we are talking directly to the audience, not through a platform,” he said. “We wanted to connect young people with our culture to say that God isn’t someone you only worship; He’s your friend, walking beside you, even when you take the wrong path. The story may be simple, but the thought is big.”
That blend of philosophy and playfulness runs through the show. “We had to keep asking ourselves why we’re doing this,” Tewary added. “It’s tricky to make something positive and spiritual for the OTT audience, they’ve changed, they want nuance, not sermons. But when the purpose is clear, everything else aligns.”
For the creator of some of Indian TV’s most lavish spectacles, Hamara Vinayak marks a refreshing tonal shift. Here, Tewary trades celestial kingdoms for co-working spaces and cosmic battles for office banter. Yet his signature remains: an eye for allegory, a love for faith-infused storytelling, and an understanding that belief is most powerful when it feels personal.
Hamara Vinayak, after all, feels less like a sermon and more like a conversation over chai about what success means, what faith costs, and why even the gods might be rooting for a start-up’s Series A round.
As Namit Das reflected during the Q&A, “Life gives us many magical, divine moments we just forget to notice them. Sometimes even through a phone screen, you see something that redirects you. That’s a Vinayak moment.”
The series also mirrors a larger cultural pivot. As audiences migrate from television to OTT, myth-inspired tales are finding new form and flexibility online. The digital screen lets creators like Tewary reinvent the genre, giving ancient ideas a modern interface, without losing the emotional charge that’s made mythology India’s storytelling backbone for decades.
In a country where faith trends faster than any hashtag, Hamara Vinayak feels both familiar and refreshingly new, a comedy that’s blessed with heart, humour and just enough philosophy to keep the binge holy.
For a country where mythology remains the oldest streaming service, Tewary’s move from TV to OTT feels both natural and necessary. Indian storytellers have always turned to gods for drama, guidance and TRPs from Ramayan and Mahabharat on Doordarshan to glossy mytho-dramas on prime time. But digital platforms allow creators to remix reverence with realism, and in Hamara Vinayak, faith gets an interface upgrade.
The result is a show that feels like a warm chat with destiny, part comedy, part contemplation. And in an age of cynicism, that’s no small miracle.
As Tewary put it, smiling at his cast, “The message had to be positive. We just wanted to remind people that even in chaos, God hasn’t unfriended you.”
With 5 episodes planned, Hamara Vinayak promises to keep walking that fine line between laughter and light. It’s mythology with memes, devotion with dialogue, and a digital-age reminder that even the cloud has a silver lining or perhaps, a divine one.
If the first two episodes are any sign, the show doesn’t just bridge heaven and earth, it gives both a Wi-Fi connection.
