Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: The Sensex soared 1,131 points on Tuesday, reclaiming the 75,000 mark, while the Nifty jumped 1.45%, closing above 22,800. The rally was driven by strong global market trends and broad-based buying across sectors.

TOP STORIES

Hindi Film Studios Are Changing Tracks 🍿

What Happened?

Bollywood’s big studios are taking a detour—straight into regional cinema! As Hindi films struggle at the box office, production houses like Dharma Productions, Luv Films, Baweja Studios, and Junglee Pictures are now investing in Punjabi, Marathi, Tamil, and Malayalam films.

Why It Matters?

The post-pandemic era hasn’t been kind to Bollywood. Big-budget Hindi films are flopping, and even mid-sized ones are taking longer to produce—often because actors are too busy with web series and endorsements.

Meanwhile, regional films, which cost between ₹2.5–15 crore to make, are proving to be a better investment than mid-sized Hindi films that require ₹15–30 crore.

Even marketing is cheaper, with regional films spending ₹50 lakh–2 crore compared to Hindi films’ ₹5–15 crore.

Numbers don’t lie

Regional films accounted for 52% of India’s box office revenue in Jan-Feb 2025, while Hindi films made up just 45%. Audience loyalty is shifting, and Bollywood producers are taking notes.

Dharma recently announced Akaal, a Punjabi film featuring Gippy Grewal, while Junglee Pictures is making its Malayalam debut with Ronth. 

PAISON KA KHEL

A ₹4,000 Crore Prescription? 📃

LIC is making a move into health insurance, with CEO Siddhartha Mohanty confirming a stake acquisition before March 31. But don’t expect LIC to take full control—this deal won’t cross the 51% mark. 

Rumours suggest ManipalCigna is the lucky insurer, with a ₹4,000 crore price tag.

Meanwhile, LIC’s third-quarter report card was a mixed bag—net profit up 17% to ₹11,056 crore, but premium income down 9% to ₹1.06 lakh crore.

With life insurance growth slowing, maybe a little diversification is just what the doctor ordered.

A Financial ‘Spring Cleaning’ by RBI 🧹

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is back with another cash boost! On March 25, it will buy government bonds worth ₹50,000 crore to keep the market running smoothly.

Think of it as the RBI’s version of spring cleaning, sweeping liquidity into the market to keep things spick and span.

This is part of a ₹1 lakh crore liquidity plan, with the first ₹50,000 crore already injected on March 12.

GROWTH GULLY

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🥗 Eat Smarter: 25 simple tips to make your diet healthier today!

❌ Stop This: The skill of saying no with confidence.

💡 Level Up: 9 ways to transform self-improvement into professional wins

TOP STORIES

Is Zudio Now Dead? ☠️

What Happened?

Trent Ltd, the parent company behind Zudio and Westside, has been a retail market darling, with its stock skyrocketing 935% since March 2020.

But in a classic case of “what goes up must come down,” the stock has dropped 26% in 2025, making it the worst performer in the Nifty 50.

The culprit is ironically, Zudio itself—the same budget fashion chain that fueled Trent’s meteoric rise.  

The numbers tell the story

• Zudio accounts for 55% of Trent’s revenue but is showing signs of slowing down.

• The company’s EV/Ebitda ratio fell from 78.5 in FY24 to 67.6 in FY25 and is expected to decline to 51 in FY26.

• Trent’s store expansion pace is cooling—Zudio added 130 stores in FY25, much lower than the expected 190-200.

Why It Matters?

Trent’s success with Zudio has made it the crown jewel of India’s fast fashion, but the aggressive expansion that fueled its rally is losing steam.

Meanwhile, rivals like Aditya Birla Fashion and VMart are stepping up, threatening Zudio’s dominance.

GLOBAL NAZARA

Alphabet’s $33 Billion Wizardry 🔮

Google’s parent, Alphabet, is gearing up to acquire cloud-security firm Wiz for a whopping $33 billion! That’s nearly three times Wiz’s valuation last year.

Google is playing catch-up with Microsoft and Amazon in the cloud game, and Wiz’s cybersecurity expertise could be the magic spell it needs.  

If the acquisition goes through, it’ll be Alphabet’s biggest ever. Well… Wiz can still say no as it did to Google’s $23 billion offer last year.

Can $41B Make China Shop Again? 🇨🇳

China’s economy has been feeling a bit under the weather lately, with consumers holding onto their yuan tighter than a toddler clutching a lollipop. 

To turn the tide, Beijing has rolled out a $41 billion plan to encourage spending. This initiative offers subsidies ranging from 15% to 20% on products like smartphones, home appliances, and even cars.  

The goal is to boost domestic consumption by encouraging people to swap old gadgets for new ones.

However, despite a 4% rise in retail sales, the sluggish property market and rising unemployment remain challenges.

TOP STORIES

Paytm Stock Jumps After SEBI’s Nod ✅

What Happened?

Paytm Money, the investment arm of One 97 Communications Ltd, has received approval from SEBI to operate as a research analyst.

This means the company can now offer research reports, investment insights, and data-driven analysis. 

Following the announcement, Paytm’s stock surged 7.54% on Tuesday, reaching ₹740.75 by 11:30 AM.

Why It Matters?

For investors, this move strengthens Paytm Money’s position in the investment advisory space.

With SEBI’s certification, the platform can provide expert-backed insights, making stock market decisions easier for retail and institutional investors. 

Given that India’s fintech sector is booming—with digital investing growing at a rapid pace—this could be a game-changer for Paytm.

The Backstory

Plus, let’s not forget the timing. Earlier this month, Paytm launched UPI Trading Blocks, which allows direct bank-to-broker payments for stock trades. 

This SEBI nod complements that initiative, potentially making Paytm Money a more trusted and feature-packed investment platform.

MIRCH MASALA

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🌀 Past Life Mystery: She claims her killer is now her imaginary friend

💥 Blockbuster Alert:Sikandar starring Salman Khan set for March 30 release!