TALKING POINT: INDUSTRY TRACKER

BY IMPACT Staff

Saugato Bhowmik of Viacom18 talks about the expansion of Viacom18’s line of MTV-themed cafes by launching FLYP@MTV Café in Mumbai. Mukund Padmanabhan of The Hindu talks about the 13th edition of The Hindu’s annual music festival, The Hindu November Fest.

FLYP@MTV CAFÉ IN DELHI IS BREAKING EVEN EVERY MONTH: SAUGATO BHOWMIK

Funbars Hospitality Pvt. Ltd in association with Viacom18 Consumer Products, the consumer products arm of Viacom18, has expanded its line of MTV-themed cafes by launching FLYP@MTV Café in Mumbai after its launch in New Delhi two years ago. Saugato Bhowmik, Head, Consumer Products and Integrated Network Solutions, Viacom18 tells us more.
 

Response to FLYP@MTV Café in Delhi: Our Delhi outlet has been pretty successful in terms of revenue. It was our first venture and today it enjoys a status of distinction and we are breaking even every month. It has proven to be a go-to destination, both as a hang-out place as well as a spot for networking. We are extremely pleased with the way it’s been running with packed weekdays and crowds overflowing on weekends; and most of all, it’s been projecting a positive revenue curve for us.
 

On the Mumbai outlet: The Mumbai outlet bears the typical MTV look and feel. The vibe is very colourful, vibrant and energetic. The spacious structure is capable of hosting big events, gigs and parties. One of the key USPs of the café is its specialized food menu which has been curated by celebrity chef Ranveer Brar. It consists of a mix of global food, popular north Indian fare as well as local Mumbaiya fusion fare. The place will attract youngsters and young professionals alike.
 

Learnings: One of the key learnings that we would like to imbibe from the Delhi venture is to retain our high standards of service. That, plus the operations, will definitely be the backbone of our Mumbai venture. We have also realized that food is something that brings people back to a restaurant, so retaining our food standards will also be a must.
 

Future plans: The plan is to expand the brand across the country in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Pune, Kolkata and also add more outlets in Delhi, Gurgaon and Mumbai.

THE HINDU NOVEMBER FEST HELPS US CONNECT TO READERS IN A UNIQUE WAY: PADMANABHAN

The 13th edition of The Hindu’s annual music festival, The Hindu November Fest, will premiere in Chennai and travel to Bengaluru and Hyderabad between November 9 and November 26 this year. This edition has Fiat, Hindustan University, Nova Life Spaces on board as sponsors amongst others. Mukund Padmanabhan, Editor of The Hindu, tells us more about the festival.
 

Evolution of The Hindu November Fest: The November Fest was launched in 2005 in Chennai. Over the years, it went on to other southern cities such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi and Coimbatore. The geographical spread of the fest was accompanied by a greater musical reach, in the sense that we began showcasing artistes from different parts of the globe. From what was largely an Indian festival, we became an international one. This year, we stage the Fest in three cities – Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. We have one foreign act comprising two very young talented folk musicians, one from Britain and the other from Canada.
 

Expectations from the festival: The concerts this year represent an essential ingredient of the curatorial mix of the November Fest. To begin with, there has always been space accorded to young, upcoming musicians.

This year, this is evident in the presence of Lail Arad, JF Robitaille and Sid Sriram. We also set out to showcase varied genres of music and encourage musical partnerships. The opening concert featuring Kaushiki Chakraborty, who performs with a group of front-ranking instrumentalists in a jugalbandi programme, embodies this. We also have two very interesting and curated shows by Sid Sriram and Benny Dayal, which promise to be refreshingly different.
 

How the festival has helped build brand Hindu: The Hindu has always been a very strong brand. What the festival has done is to help us connect to our readership in a way that goes beyond eyeballs and pages. There is also some synergy between a newspaper that devotes considerable space to the arts, particularly music, and a festival like this.

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