Bollywood producers hunt for “outsiders”

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Thursday, December 19, 2024. This is Nelson John, let's get started.

Adar Poonawalla's recent dive into Bollywood, in which he snagged a 50% stake in Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions for a cool ₹1,000 crore, isn’t just a one-off. It hints at a bigger potential shift across Bollywood. Poonawalla, known best for producing vaccines, teaming up with a giant like Dharma Productions could just set off a trend. Industry insiders weren’t taken aback by this development, as Dharma had been actively seeking fresh funding amid a string of less-than-stellar box office returns and cooling interest from streaming platforms. Before Poonawalla stepped in, giants such as Saregama and Reliance Industries were also in the running, highlighting the attractiveness of film studios as potential investment opportunities for diverse business conglomerates. This move could encourage more such strategic investments, writes Lata Jha. It could also reshape how Bollywood studios align themselves with broader business interests, potentially leading to a wave of revitalisation that could impact content creation, distribution and marketing strategies across the industry.

Despite allegations of anti-competitive practices by Zepto, Instamart and Blinkit, the Competition Commission of India is unlikely to launch an investigation into quick commerce companies. Sources told Dhirendra Kumar and Gireesh Chandra Prasad that the information provided to CCI didn’t convince them there was any anti-competitive behaviour that warranted further examination. This booming sector, projected to hit $6 billion in sales by 2024, seems too competitive and beneficial to consumers for the CCI to take action on its own. Meanwhile, concerns persist among traditional retailers, represented by the All-India Consumer Products Distributors Federation. They claim the platforms’ allegedly predatory pricing and inadequate enforcement of FDI rules could threaten traditional retailers, and are urging a closer look to prevent potential monopolistic outcomes.

Sebi's tightening of rules in India's F&O market aims to cool intense retail trading driven by expectations of quick profits and the gamification tactics of brokerages. Measures such as increasing index contract sizes to ₹15-20 lakh and adding a steep 14% loss margin for contract sales on expiry days kicked in on November 20. More rules such as upfront collection of option premiums by brokerages are expected to take effect in February 2025. For retail investors, these higher barriers mean trading in F&O will require more money and a deeper understanding of the markets—essentially pushing out those looking for quick, easy profits. Brokerages, particularly discount ones such as Zerodha and Angel One, could take a hit to their bottom lines as reduced volumes will force them to rethink pricing or diversify their services. Abhinanda Saha takes a look at this new era in India’s F&O market. 

In India, companies are stepping up their game on diversity hiring for roles ranging from software development to mechanical engineering. They're not just looking to fill positions – they're trying to show they're progressive and uphold strong corporate governance. From big names such as Robert Bosch GmbH and IBM Corp to Noida's Coforge Ltd, there's a growing trend of including people from diverse backgrounds, including those who are differently abled. For example, over at R.V. College of Engineering in Bengaluru, they've already recruited 26 students under diversity categories this year. This push towards diversity isn't just about doing good; it's also about looking good, reports Jas Bardia. Companies are increasingly aware that strong diversity practices boost their brand and appeal to investors who value robust environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. This is in stark contrast to the US, where some big companies and universities are pulling back on their diversity initiatives, wary of running afoul of anti-discrimination laws.

TVS Credit is in talks to buy Avendus Capital from KKR, aiming to boost its financial services, sources told Ranjani Raghavan. It’s considering funding the purchase through internal accruals and may consider debt later. KKR, which invested $120 million in Avendus in 2015, appointed Rothschild after Nomura withdrew from facilitating the sale. Avendus, known for its strong investment banking and startup advisory services, could be valued between $500 and $700 million for a 70% stake. Serious bidders include Mizuho and Carlyle, but a final decision is likely to be pushed to January owing to the holidays. A successful bid could significantly expand TVS’s financial-sector footprint, adding investment banking and asset management to its portfolio.