Some really bright spots

Dilip Cherian India's 'Image Guru' and a diehard observer of the capital feels despite the economic crunch, India Inc has several reasons to cheer

Dilip Cherian India's 'Image Guru' and a diehard observer of the capital feels despite the economic crunch, India Inc has several reasons to cheer

Bucking recessionary fears and the growing list of corporate burnouts, there are some bright spots on an otherwise grey horizon. Though the auto industry is facing shrinking sales, Mahindra and Fiat have both launched new vehicles and, Mercedes bashing BMW is going ahead with the new 7-Series.
Similarly, several hotel brands are announcing aggressive expansion plans, despite a sharp decline in occupancy rates. Hilton, Marriott and Leelaventures have all unveiled plans to increase their portfolios.

Down but not out: Unfazed by the debacle of its maiden Bollywood venture Chandni Chowk to China, movie giant Warner Brothers remains optimistic about its India plans File Pic

Unfazed by the brutal competition in the TV market, which saw INX News changing hands, the Alva brothers joined hands with Turner Entertainment Networks to launch a brand-new Hindi entertainment channel, Real, which went live this week.

Despite Ranbaxy's scandal, Indian pharma majors are still posting double and triple-digit growth in the US! Wockhardt Ltd has not only bought Morton Grove but also expanded its product portfolio. Dr Reddy's Laboratories too has been on an acquisition spree. So maybe some lights at the end of our tunnel still glow?

Cheer in filmland

Pipped to awards and profits by Slumdog, and for now unfazed by the debacle of its maiden Bollywood venture Chandni Chowk to China, Warner Brothers remains optimistic about its India plans. In the pipeline are six more Hindi films and also films in other languages. Although it may ruffle some feathers in the rookie Obama administration, the entertainment giant is even planning to outsource jobs to India, even as it slashes around 10 per cent of its 8,000-strong workforce worldwide. Apparently, about 200 positions are being outsourced to India, which should bring some cheer locally.

But it's not just Bollywood that stands to gain. Warner is also looking Down South where it has signed a
three-year exclusive deal with Ocher Studios, owned by superstar Rajinikanth's daughter Soundarya, to make films in South Indian languages. After all, there is nothing like a billion-strong market to keep that optimism afloat, now that the Oscars recognise our might.