Saregama, an RP Sanjiv Goenka Group company and the music company that was for many generations known as HMV, has announced the launch of ‘Saregama Talent,’ a vertical exclusively designed for emerging artists. Following this exciting move, the company unveiled its first three next-gen performers – Maahi, Arjun, and Pragati.
Welcoming the new performers Vikram Mehra, MD, Saregema India Ltd. said: “The launch of Saregama Talent marks a strategic move to enhance our non-film content offering, a crucial step toward delivering diverse and comprehensive entertainment experiences to our audience. Maahi, Pragati, and Arjun bring a remarkable blend of talent and passion for music. We plan to extensively collaborate with them on a range of audio and video projects. Beyond Hindi, Saregama Talent will soon extend its reach to artists in other languages. We are confident that, with Saregama, this trio will not only make waves in the music industry but also etch their names in the hearts of music lovers worldwide.”
On his first day as CEO of MTV India, he walked in with colour on his finger nails. Each one different, and bright. A former friend once told this writer that he wanted to buy the man some printed socks from Kuala Lumpur, given the man’s love for all things stylish. At the press conference for an entertainment channel – yes, a real one – that didn’t quite take off, he stood up the podium with the hair on the back of his painted red.
And now Sunil Lulla is all set to add colour and style to Astrum, a PR and advocacy firm based in New Delhi NCR. Better known as its founder and Managing Partner Ashwani Singla’s agency, Astrum fashions itself as “India’s first science-based specialist Reputation Management advisory”. We don’t know that what means, but Astrum sure has had a fair good set of clients over the years.
Ashwani Singla
Lulla, a communique said, will play a vital role in strengthening Astrum’s capability as a trusted advisor to the C Suite and adding fuel to its growth engine. Said Singla: “For over two decades that I have known and worked with Sunil, I have admired how he combines strategic clarity with execution excellence to achieve extraordinary outcomes. Our clients and colleagues will benefit from his sage counsel and proven acumen.”
“The impact of reputation, risk and regulation on business is a major pre-occupation of the C Suite and more so today; I am delighted to be a part of a team that has an enviable track record of helping CXOs successfully negotiate this landscape,” added Lulla.
Lulla should know, having spent a lifetime in the media ecosystem. Eons at Wunderman Thompson’s earlier avatar of JWT, MTV (where he effected a turnaround), Sony Entertainment Television (not yet Sony-Zee), Times Network (yes, with Arnab Goswami), Indya.com (remember the Sunday Times of India roadblock?) for Pradeep Kar’s Microland, HMV (now SaReGaMa), Grey, Balaji Telefilms (yes, with Ekta Kapoor) and television audience measurement body BARC India, where he was tasked by the Board to undertake some cleansing operations.
The role doesn’t appear to be a full-time one, and will be in addition to a slew of other projects Lulla is involved in as part of his firm Linus Adventures. Linus, btw, is Sunil spelt ulta.
Lulla is an active runner (yes, a marathoner), loves swimming, working out in the gym, enjoys his movies, music and books, and if you are on his friend’s list, perhaps the first to greet you on your Big Days. And, yes, he is also good in mixology.
We don’t know how he is with mixing liquids. But the number of engagements and bosses he’s worked surely indicates he can mix things well. And Astrum is, as the communique claims, a “science-based” firm.
There is some history to the chemistry between Lulla and Singla (they known each and worked with each other for over two decades). Science, mixology… fireworks?!
As CEO Sunil Lulla said his final goodbyes at the BARC India headquarters in Central Mumbai, he was all set to make a switch from an ‘Employee Life’ to a ‘Portfolio Career’.
The entrepreneurial journey includes:
• The Linus Adventures which will assist Promoters and CXOs scale their business and become leader brands.
• Being co-founder of a UAE-based EdTech start-up focussed on India and the MENA region
• An active angel investor in early-stage start-ups across multiple domains.
In addition, he will continue his support to the Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA and hopes to learn a new way of running (known as Maximum Aerobic Function / Low Heart Rate whereby he can breathe smarter to successfully complete many a marathon and staying more refreshed).
An MBA from SP Jain Institute, Lulla has spent long and successful years in advertising, broadcast and digital before he took charge at BARC in October 2019. He spent 11 years in JWT in India, China and Taiwan, three years at HMV (now Saregama), three years at MTV India which he turned around, a year at Diageo, two years at Indya.com, three years at Sony Entertainment and then eight years as CEO and MD of the Times Television Network. Later he spent nearly four years as CMD of Grey Group India before making the switch to Balaji where he was there for a year-and-a-half.
It may be recalled that Lulla had announced his decision to move on from BARC last week. Fellow advertising agency captain Nakul Chopra took charge at the television audience measurement company today (August 25).
As CEO Sunil Lulla said his final goodbyes at the BARC India headquarters in Central Mumbai, he was all set to make a switch from an ‘Employee Life’ to a ‘Portfolio Career’.