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Counted as it is among the world’s fastest growing economies, an unfathomable amount of money flows in and out of the Indian economic system. But there are cracks in said system, and ever so often, a fraudulent mastermind uses them to slip some cash out for their advantage. From <keyword id="19964851" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ponzi" source="keywords">Ponzi</keyword> schemes to bank frauds, the Indian government and investors have fallen victim to many financial scandals — some of which were so sordid that they can be recounted like they happened yesterday. Here’s a rundown of the most infamous scams in Indian financial history: <h2><keyword id="20713434" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="harshad-mehta" source="keywords">Harshad Mehta</keyword> Scam (1992) – ₹4,000 Crore </h2>Perhaps the most iconic of all Indian financial scams, Harshad Mehta was known as the "Big Bull" of the stock market. He manipulated stock prices using illegal loopholes in the banking system. By obtaining unsecured loans from banks and investing them in the stock market, Mehta artificially inflated stock prices. His bubble burst when banks demanded their money back, revealing the massive fraud. This scandal led to a major reform in India's financial markets. Mehta died in jail before full legal accountability was reached, but the scam caused a significant loss to investors and led to tighter regulation in the Indian stock market. <h2><keyword id="23122396" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="satyam-scam" source="keywords">Satyam Scam</keyword> (2009) – ₹14,000 Crore </h2>Dubbed as India’s Enron, the Satyam scandal involved its founder, <keyword id="23122397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ramalinga-raju" source="keywords">Ramalinga Raju</keyword>, admitting to falsifying the company's accounts to the tune of ₹14,000 crore. Satyam Computer Services, once considered a blue-chip company, was found guilty of inflating profits and revenues. Raju admitted to the scam after a failed attempt to buy two Maytas firms owned by his family. This case brought corporate governance issues in India to the forefront. Raju was convicted, but the legal processes have allowed him temporary freedom through bail. But this incident called for improved transparency and stricter corporate governance norms. <h2>Punjab National Bank Scam (2018) – ₹13,700 Crore </h2>Diamond merchant Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi orchestrated one of the largest frauds in Indian banking history by obtaining fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) from Punjab National Bank (PNB). These LoUs allowed them to obtain loans from foreign branches of Indian banks without providing any collateral. The scam involved over ₹13,700 crore, and Modi fled the country, causing significant reputational damage to India’s banking sector. Nirav Modi’s extradition is still pending, and Mehul Choksi remains out of India’s legal jurisdiction. The scam, however, resulted in strengthened banking regulations regarding LoUs and SWIFT transactions. <h2><keyword id="23122399" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-mallya-scam" source="keywords">Vijay Mallya Scam</keyword> (2016) – ₹9,000 Crore</h2>The "King of Good Times" was living large while his airline, Kingfisher, was drowning in debt. Vijay Mallya allegedly defaulted on loans amounting to ₹9,000 crore from various banks. He fled to the UK in 2016, leaving creditors, employees, and stakeholders in financial distress. His lavish lifestyle amidst the collapse of his airline made this scandal a high-profile case. Mallya’s extradition process is ongoing, but he remains out of reach of Indian authorities. The main impact was enhanced scrutiny of loan defaults and triggered legal reforms on extradition. <h2>Saradha Chit Fund Scam (2013) – ₹2,500 Crore </h2>The Saradha Group, operating a ponzi scheme disguised as a chit fund, promised unrealistically high returns to its investors, mostly in West Bengal and Odisha. The scam collapsed, leaving over 1.7 million people, many of whom were low-income investors, without their life savings. Politicians and celebrities were also implicated in the case. While Sudipta Sen is behind bars, not all the accomplices have been held accountable. But this Ponzi scheme resulted in reform of chit funds and greater regulatory oversight on such investment schemes. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112337071" title="Noida woman invests in stock market via an app, loses over Rs 69 lakh as it turns out to be a scam" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2><keyword id="6560832" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="2g-spectrum-scam" source="Orion">2G Spectrum Scam</keyword> (2008) – ₹1,76,000 Crore </h2>The 2G spectrum allocation scandal involved the underpricing of telecom licences to select companies in exchange for bribes. Telecom minister A. Raja was at the centre of this controversy, which allegedly caused a loss of ₹1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer. The case was seen as a massive blow to public trust in India’s telecom sector and led to significant political fallout. Sadly, all key figures involved were acquitted despite the Supreme Court’s intervention and cancellation of 122 telecom licences. <h2><keyword id="455134" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coal-allocation-scam" source="Orion">Coal Allocation Scam</keyword> (Coalgate) (2012) – ₹1,86,000 Crore </h2>The coal allocation scam, or "Coalgate," involved the illegal allocation of coal blocks to private companies between 2004 and 2009. The CAG of India estimated a loss of ₹1.86 lakh crore to the exchequer due to non-competitive bidding. Many high-profile politicians and industrialists were implicated, making this one of the largest political scandals in India. While some officials faced legal consequences, many key players were not prosecuted. But it did trigger policy reforms in the allocation of natural resources. <h2>DHFL Scam (2019) – ₹34,615 Crore </h2>Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL) was accused of syphoning off over ₹34,000 crore through a series of shell companies and fraudulent loans. Investigations revealed that the promoters used these funds for personal enrichment and illegal political donations. The case came to light after an investigation by investigative journalists and was later confirmed by a report from KPMG. The case is ongoing, and the main accused are in custody. For now, regulations governing non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) have been strengthened. <h2>Yes Bank Crisis (2020) – ₹3,788 Crore </h2>Yes Bank, under its founder <keyword id="19899935" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rana-kapoor" source="keywords">Rana Kapoor</keyword>, was involved in questionable lending practices. The bank made high-risk loans to companies already in financial trouble, which eventually turned into non-performing assets (NPAs). Kapoor was arrested, and the Reserve Bank of India had to step in to stabilise the bank. The case highlighted serious lapses in corporate governance and risk management. As of now, Rana Kapoor is facing trial, and legal proceedings are active. The RBI has also introduced new measures to monitor the health of banks more rigorously. <h2>Commonwealth Games Scam (2010) – ₹70,000 Crore </h2>The 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi were overshadowed by corruption allegations involving inflated contracts and kickbacks. <keyword id="23122398" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="suresh-kalmadi" source="keywords">Suresh Kalmadi</keyword>, the head of the organising committee, was arrested for awarding contracts at exorbitant rates. The estimated loss to the exchequer was around ₹70,000 crore. This scam tarnished India’s image on the global stage. Kalmadi was arrested but the case has not resulted in major convictions or recoveries, except for stricter oversight on large public projects and international event planning. These scams not only caused financial damage but also eroded public trust in India’s institutions. In response, India has tightened regulatory frameworks, improved corporate governance, and adopted stricter banking standards, although challenges persist in tackling large-scale fraud. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112896255" title="I was scammed out of $300K in a 3-month-long government impersonation scam" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

10 financial scams that shook India: A dive into deception

<ul><li>‘Son of the soil’ heroes are finding a place in the hearts of audiences of today, says actor <keyword id="7637" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manoj-bajpayee" source="Orion">Manoj Bajpayee</keyword>.</li><li>Movies that tell local, rooted stories have a more universal appeal, comments film critic Anupama Chopra.</li><li>The face of storytelling is changing, says actor <keyword id="1634244" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pratik-gandhi" source="Orion">Pratik Gandhi</keyword> who portrayed <keyword id="75198" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="harshad-mehta" source="Orion">Harshad Mehta</keyword> in the web series Scam 1992. </li></ul>The phrase ‘movie star-like good looks’ is undergoing a massive transition, according to actor Manoj Bajpayee. The heroes of today now have to look like the audience, and not like Greek gods or goddesses who descended from the heavens. “People have realized it after the success of RRR and Pushpa. But <keyword id="95495" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jr-ntr" source="Orion">Jr NTR</keyword> and <keyword id="17473" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="allu-arjun" source="Orion">Allu Arjun</keyword> have always been popular with their dubbed movies being watched in the hinterlands. I was told by a person outside the industry that heroes like them can be found anywhere in Haryana and Bihar,” Bajpayee said, speaking at a panel discussion organized by Zee5 Global. The actor who completes 20 years in the industry this year, reminisced about times when movies were heavily aspirational, shot abroad etc. Actor <keyword id="6359106" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nawazuddin-siddiqui" source="Orion">Nawazuddin Siddiqui</keyword> had also addressed this issue in the past, refusing to accept that he had ‘unconventional looks’, claiming that 80% of India looks like him. “That’s true. Most of the country looks like Nawaz and me. I was once offered a movie character who lived in New York, I refused saying, I look nothing like them. Those were aspirational times, now it’s time for realism,” Bajpayee said. ‘Son of the soil’ heroes are finding a place in the hearts of audiences of today, as seen with the rip-roaring success of Gadar 2. “Its success is not because of Gadar 1 which came decades back. Many people in their 20s are watching it. It’s just that heroes should come from the masses and the audience. And, stories where common-man is the setting should be told,” Bajpayee said. ‘Mood of audience is changing’ Indian cinema has been transforming with movies like Kantara and more which are more rooted and local — and are gaining success too. “The more local a movie is, the more universal it is. But mainstream cinema tends to paint in broad strokes,” commented Anupama Chopra, a popular film critic. Most Indian movies, experts noted, are either potboilers or indulgent films which attract a niche audience which make distributors and producers develop cold feet, noted Bajpayee. He urged film makers to be less indulgent and choose middle-of-the-road cinema. Whether it’s the impact of OTT or the complexity of GenZ preferences, the mood of the audience has changed, experts noted at the panel discussion. The audience’s mood is scattered, with strong story backed-movies and potboilers with drama and emotion finding equal amounts of success. “If you see RRR, amidst all the larger-than-life stunts, the core of it is human emotion. Stories should empathize with the audience, create excitement with thrill and drama,” explained Bajpayee. Yet another fear that most filmmakers face is that the youth is getting disconnected from the large screens and there is a lot of fatigue in the world of entertainment. The younger audiences love their ‘shorts’ and more, and it takes a lot to bring them back to the big screens. Pratik Gandhi who is best known for portraying Harshad Mehta in the web series Scam 1992 said that movies that are rooted in soil always find their audience. He quoted the success of Gujarati movie ‘<keyword id="3632898" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="wrong-side-raju" source="Orion">Wrong Side Raju</keyword>’ which later went on to win a National Award, but also raked in the moolah at the box office. “The movie brought Gujarati youth back to the theaters, and broke all records. It also got entry into multiplexes. The face of storytelling is changing,” Gandhi added. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/the-dark-truth-behind-rbis-crackdown-on-easy-personal-loans/articleshow/105287366.cms">The dark truth behind RBI’s crackdown on easy personal loans</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/late-stage-deals-are-back-but-funding-winter-is-far-from-over-say-vcs/articleshow/105389287.cms">Late-stage deals are back but funding winter is far from over say VCs</a>

Family Man Manoj Bajpayee bats for movie heroes who look like ‘the common man’

<ul><li>The web series <keyword id="10079277" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="scam-1992">Scam 1992</keyword>, directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Hansal Mehta is based on a book titled 'The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away.' </li><li>The series is about the famous stockbroker Harshad Mehta, popularly known as the 'Amitabh Bachchan of Stock Market.' </li><li>The web series has garnered a strong response on social media sites, making it one of Twitter's top trends. </li></ul>#Scam1992 has garnered a strong response on social media sites, making it one of Twitter's top trends. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, which premiered today on <keyword id="3163762" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="SonyLIV">SonyLIV</keyword>, is one of the highlighted topics of discussion not only among movie or web series enthusiasts but almost for everyone in the country. The web series, directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Hansal Mehta is based on a book titled 'The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away' by journalist Debashis Basu and Sucheta Dalal. The series is about the famous stockbroker Harshad Mehta, popularly known as the 'Amitabh Bachchan of Stock Market.' Watch the trailer of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story here: <div type="Youtube" id="ISORfez27og" title="Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story | Official Trailer | Streaming from 09-10-2020" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ISORfez27og/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story — a brief look at the scandal Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story follows the meteoric rise and fall of the stockbroker, Harshad Mehta. It is the story of one of the biggest financial frauds carried out in 1992 that shook the Indian stock market and forced the market regulator to change the rules of the game on Dalal Street. Registered broker Harshad Mehta and his partners were accused of engaging in a massive stock manipulation on India's largest stock exchange, BSE, in 1992 by taking advantage of loopholes in the banking system. Mehta was accused of conspiring with the bank employees for obtaining fake bank receipts (BRs) issued, which he used in other banks to woo them to lend him money. He used these funds to <a href="https://www.thequint.com/explainers/where-is-the-rs-24000-crore-lost-in-the-harshad-mehta-securities-scam">buy a large amount of shares at a premium</a>. When veteran journalist Sucheta Dalal uncovered this scam, the banks realised that they owned the fake bank receipts. This led to the unraveling of the system. <div type="image" title="Harshad Mehta" msid="78571542" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Harshad Mehta &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Mehta was convicted by the Bombay High Court and India's apex court for his part in a financial scandal valued at ₹500 crores, which took place on the BSE. The scandal exposed various loopholes in the Indian banking system and the stock market transaction system, which also forced SEBI to introduce new rules to cover the loopholes. Out of 27 criminal charges brought against Mehta, he was only convicted of four, before he died in 2001. The cast of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story The web series cast includes Pratik Gandhi, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Satish Kaushik, Sharib Hashmi, Anant Mahadevan, Nikhil Dwivedi, KK Raina and Lalit Parimoo, among others. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/mira-nairs-a-suitable-boy-to-premiere-on-netflix-in-october/articleshow/78571222.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Mira Nair's 'A Suitable Boy' to premiere on Netflix in October</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/world-food-programme-wins-2020-nobel-peace-prize/articleshow/78571169.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">World Food Programme wins 2020 Nobel Peace Prize</a>

Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story is streaming on SonyLIV— Here's what the infamous scam was all about

<ul><li><keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword> enters into a longer partnership with Hansal Mehta for more web series like the Scoop.</li><li>Netflix will be engaged in the entire creative process from scripting to marketing and distribution.</li><li>Netflix has had a successful year across series and films with titles such as Khakee - The Bihar Chapter, Rana Naidu, Class, Mission Majnu, Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, Kathal among others.</li></ul>After the runaway success of Scoop, a web series based on the life of a crime journalist, Netflix has announced a multi-year series partnership with filmmaker Hansal Mehta. Scoop was Mehta’s maiden series on the streaming platform which was inspired by a court case involving journalist Jigna Vora, who was accused of allegedly conspiring with gangster Chota Rajan in the murder of another prominent journalist in 2011. Taking this collaboration forward, Hansal will create multiple series for Netflix in the coming years. Scoop has been called a genre-defining series inspired by crime reporter Jigna Vora’s book ‘Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison.’ Audiences and critics alike have been captivated by the deeply layered characters and compelling storylines, hailing it as one of the most binge-worthy series of the year. Mehta is a National Award winning director instrumental in delivering many critically acclaimed films and series including Aligarh, Shahid, Citylights and Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story. “As a filmmaker, the idea of creating diverse and dynamic stories constantly keeps me on my toes. What excites me about this partnership with Netflix, which is home to some of the finest talent, is the potential for my work to reach viewers across the world. As was the case with Scoop, Netflix is engaged in the creative process right from scripting, all the way to marketing and distribution which is critical for the success of any creative collaboration. This long-term partnership with them is only going to empower me to dive into a variety of undiscovered stories,” he said. Over the years, docuseries and stories based on real life scams and personalities have captured the imaging of viewers. Another such series by Netflix was Bad Boy Billionaires: India, which documents the major financial scams that rocked India. These included some very colourful personalities like liquor baron <keyword id="14678" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vijay-mallya" source="Orion">Vijay Mallya</keyword>, diamantaire Nirav Modi and Subrata Roy. According to Netflix, the investigative docu series explored the greed, fraud and corruption that built up — and ultimately brought down — India’s most infamous tycoons. Monika Shergill, Vice President - Content, Netflix India, said “Hansal is a master of his craft and has an eye for spotting stories that have a broad appeal and are relevant to a wide audience. Being a nuanced storyteller, he is able to tell these stories like no other. Scoop marks yet another success for our series line-up this year, and with this partnership we look forward to never before seen stories that audiences will love.” Netflix has had a successful year across series and films with titles such as Khakee - The Bihar Chapter, Rana Naidu, Class, Mission Majnu, Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, Kathal and more.

Netflix taps Hansal Mehta for multi-year partnership following success of ‘Scoop’

In view of increasing cyber crime cases, <keyword id="6354572" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="CBI">CBI</keyword> is mulling setting up a special branch in Mumbai to probe such offences, its director Anil Sinha said on Tuesday. 
 
Sinha was in the city to inaugurate the newly constructed 13-storey office of CBI in suburban Bandra-Kurla Complex. All its branches like anti-corruption bureau, economic offences wing and special crime branch will now operate from the new office. "Over the last two years, the cyber world has witnessed a surge in activities. I am contemplating, provided we get cooperation from the state government, setting up a branch to probe cyber crime offences," Sinha said. 
 
"As of now, such a branch is only in the headquarters (Delhi), but now I think it's time a similar branch is opened here in Mumbai, too. Cyber crime is increasing and a separate team of officers including experts are required," the director said. 
 He said CBI in Mumbai has unearthed several scams like the <keyword id="532918" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Harshad-Mehta-scam">Harshad Mehta scam</keyword>, Telgi fake stamp paper scam, Adarsh Housing society scam and so on. "Apart from such scams, CBI is also probing sensational murder cases of <keyword id="3020388" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sheena-Bora">Sheena Bora</keyword> and <keyword id="266924" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Dabholkar">Narendra Dabholkar</keyword> among others," Sinha said. 
 
"Recently, state governments and high courts have also been handing over several cases to CBI. Though CBI started as an anti-corruption bureau, its scope has increased to economic offences, serious frauds and sensational cases under IPC. It is now a federal investigating agency which can probe any kind of case," he said. 
 
"The corrupt are resorting to devious and ingenious means to outwit investigating agencies. We must, therefore, update our knowledge and reinvent our practices and methods to detect and bring these new methods of corruption within the ambit of substantive evidence," he said. 
 
Sinha said there is also a need to expand the definition of corruption as offenders are adopting new ways of indulging in graft. "We must now think beyond traps. Nobody these days accepts money in their hands directly. Hence, we must think of expanding the definition of corruption," he said.

Cyber crime: CBI likely to set
up special branch in Mumbai

<div type="image" title="In 2024, India has seen around $12.2 billion worth of IPOs, including mainboard and SMEs" msid="113878163" hostid="261" sizebytes="45300" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In 2024, India has seen around $12.2 billion worth of IPOs, including mainboard and SMEs&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Missing some action, adrenaline rush, and thrill in your life? Are the good old, albeit mundane money investment avenues like mutual funds and fixed deposits not making the cut for you? Want to experience a heart-pounding, financial rollercoaster that will constantly keep you and your portfolio on tenterhooks? Well then, welcome to the world of initial public offers (IPOs), especially those brought to you by SMEs, or <keyword id="6375845" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Small-and-Medium-Enterprises" source="Orion">small and medium enterprises</keyword>. Truth be told, <keyword id="19938687" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sme" source="keywords">SME</keyword> IPOs have been all over the bourses this year. So far, 2024 has seen 206 SMEs debuting on both BSE and NSE, out of which 146 listed in gains and 46 listed in losses. Odds seem good, right? In contrast, the year has only seen 63 IPOs from the elder brother i.e. mainboard, only 48 of which managed to post any listing gains. And getting an allotment has also been a major uncertainty, given the unusually high demand this year. <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">So, what's an <keyword id="5559702" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="SME-IPO" source="Orion">SME IPO</keyword>, you ask?</h2>Think of a mainboard company as Shah Rukh or Salman Khan—well-established, financially stable, strong legacy of profitability, and fairly well-known. On the other hand, SMEs are your Prateek Gandhi (Harshad Mehta, Scam 1992), Siddhant Chaturvedi (MC Sher, Gully Boy) or Avinash Tiwary (Majnu, Laila Majnu). While they are doing super well, they are yet to make it big like the Khans. They’re currently underdogs, lesser known, but who knows? They can be the next big thing in the future! And SME IPOs are getting a stellar reception. In 2023, 182 such IPOs had raised a substantial Rs 4,967 crore. In 2024, more than 200 companies have already raised over Rs 7,500 crore, and we have four months to go. This, with one quarter of the year still remaining. <div type="image" title="In 2024, India leads IPO activity in the Asia-Pacific region" height="900" width="1200" msid="113875643" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In 2024, India leads IPO activity in the Asia-Pacific region&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> But what does it take for a company to be classified as a small enterprise? The company has to have an annual turnover/income of up to Rs 50 crore, and for a medium enterprise to be called so, its annual income has to be up to Rs 250 crore. When such companies go public, in a bid to raise funds from investors and expand their operations, they launch an <keyword id="19898327" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ipo" source="keywords">IPO</keyword>, but not on the main exchange, but separately, on NSE’s Emerge and BSE’s SME platform. As of September 2024, <keyword id="4484133" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE-Emerge" source="Orion">NSE Emerge</keyword> has 147 listed participants, while <keyword id="1885131" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSE-SME" source="Orion">BSE SME</keyword> has 155 market makers. Mounting an SME’s IPO is comparatively less stringent than their mainboard counterparts, as far as regulations are concerned since their DRHPs (draft red herring prospectus) are not filed with SEBI. So, wouldn’t a lenient treatment make them inherently riskier? Why are they so appealing, you ask? <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/a-company-with-8-employees-looking-to-raise-12-crore-ended-up-getting-applications-worth-over-4700-crore/articleshow/112824522.cms">Delhi firm with just 8 employees seeks ₹12 crore via IPO, gets ₹4,700 crore worth of investor applications!</a> Well, for one, some of them have delivered exceptional returns—we’re talking 100%, 200%. Consider this—Owais Metal and Mineral Processing, which launched its IPO in February this year, delivered a whopping listing gain of 201%. Another SME, Maxposure, whose IPO was out in January 2024, had earned its investors listing gains worth 317.40%! Apparently, higher risks also mean higher returns, and also super high investment. Most SME IPOs need a minimum investment of Rs 1,00,000 or more, as opposed to mainboard IPOs, where you can buy one lot of shares for anywhere between Rs 14,000-15,000. Even the minimum trading lot size for SME shares is about 10,000. In short, you’d have to potentially empty your pockets to invest in an SME IPO. And still, there’s no guarantee that the listing will fill your wallets. For all you know, your pockets before and after the IPO is listed might stay the same - EMPTY! There's also the question of whether or not these SMEs are able to maintain their listing day mojo, or do they just fizzle out thereafter? Data from Prime Database highlights more instances of the latter. As of August 2024, about 166 SME IPOs had made it to the exchanges. Around 72 of them, or close to 50%, could not sustain their momentum going ahead, and were trading below their listing day prices. Consider this. The post listing gains of Medicamen Organics, whose IPO came out in June 2024, earned its investors massive listing gains of over 300%, by listing at Rs 137.85, significantly higher than its price issue price, which was set between Rs 32-34. But as of October 1, 2024, the stock was trading at Rs 64.2. Talk about falls. Additionally, risks of pump-and-dump, and illiquidity, among others makes SME IPOs dangerous See, you're largely venturing into unknown, pitch-dark territories, without much light to guide you. For starters, SME IPOs face less scrutiny from market watchdog SEBI. This also means they are able to list quickly, just 3-4 months. On the other hand, mainboard IPOs can take upto a year before they are cleared for listing. Also, there is far less information and disclosures available about their financials, fundamentals and performance to investors for making an informed decision, as compared to mainboard stocks. Then there’s the issue of illiquidity. Once purchased, you might find it hard to sell off your SME stocks, since they are not traded as frequently in the market, which means lower liquidity. Trivesh D, COO, Tradejini explains that liquidity is a major concern for such stocks. “These stocks typically have a smaller free float, and are traded in lots, which can lead to volatility and sharp price swings. This means it can be challenging for investors to buy or sell shares without significantly impacting prices. Additionally, speculative trading practices, like 'pump-and-dump' schemes, can inflate stock prices, leaving retail investors vulnerable to sudden drops”. Recently, SME IPOs have gained notoriety for price manipulation via showing fictitious sales and revenue in their books of accounts, selling of promoter holdings at inflated prices, and being the facade for many infamous pump and dump schemes. This is where select people create frenzy, or mass euphoria over a particular stock or company, causing its prices to soar, and then dumping them, or selling their shares at this massive price to make a killing! Infact, it's not just the promoters, but also the investment banks floating these IPOs. At present, SEBI is investigating around 6 investment banks which have allegedly charged SMEs a staggering 15% of funds raised via IPOs as fee, as opposed to the standard 1-3%. In March 2024, SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch had also highlighted witnessing signs of manipulation in the SME space. “We do see signs of manipulation in the SME segment. We are able to see certain patterns.” Buch had observed back then. Adds Kresha Gupta, Founder &amp; Director, StepTrade Share Services, “Investing in SME IPO comes with significant risks, despite their impressive returns in recent years. Limited participation from institutional investors and public in some SME IPOs also mean that those companies may lack the support and stability that comes with larger-scale investments” “Additionally, many SMEs may not have strong fundamentals to justify their valuations. High P/E ratios can be misleading, and while some IPOs have delivered impressive returns, they often come with significant volatility, continues D of Tradejini. <h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7em; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; list-style: none; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">So, should I stay away?</h2>Yes, and No. Yes, if you don't want to do your homework of researching the company thoroughly beforehand. Anand K. Rathi, Co-Founder of MIRA Money suggests asking a couple of questions before investing your hard earned money: <ul><li>What is the company's financial performance over the past 3-4 years?</li><li>What is the company's governance structure?</li><li>Is the financial success driven by the IPO, or is it a result of consistent performance?</li><li>Does the company have what it takes to scale its operations to the next level?</li><li>Are the company’s promoters trustworthy, capable and experienced?</li><li>What is the level of participation by large, institutional investors?</li></ul> But staying away completely? Not necessary. Gupta adds that retail investors, in particular, should avoid viewing SME IPOs as quick money-makers based on their short-term performance, as this can certainly lead to poor investment decisions. “To mitigate risks, investors should always focus on long-term fundamentals rather than just short-term price movements. Key indicators include the participation of institutional investors like DIIs and FIIs. This often signals confidence in the stock”, she continues. A red flag you should look out for is if a company is only offering OFS, or Offer for Sale. This can indicate early investors looking to exit, potentially signaling weaker future growth. That's why it is better to look for companies which are raising capital for expansion purposes. This is a sign of healthy business growth prospects and improving fundamentals. In conclusion, backing the underdog, or SMEs, is not a bad proposition, but not without its risks. Investing in SME IPOs is like riding a unicorn—but you don't know whether you're riding it to rags or riches! So, take your pick.

SIMPLY PUT: Why investing in SME IPOs should not be on top of your adventure to-do list!

Missing some action, adrenaline rush, and thrill in your life? Are the good old, albeit mundane money investment avenues like mutual funds and fixed deposits not making the cut for you? Want to experience a heart-pounding, financial rollercoaster that will constantly keep you and your portfolio on tenterhooks? Well then, welcome to the world of initial public offers (IPOs), especially those brought to you by SMEs, or <keyword id="6375845" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Small-and-Medium-Enterprises" source="Orion">small and medium enterprises</keyword>. Truth be told, <keyword id="3704207" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="SME-IPOs" source="Orion">SME IPOs</keyword> have been all over the bourses this year. So far, 2024 has seen 206 SMEs debuting on both BSE and NSE, out of which 146 listed in gains and 46 listed in losses. Odds seem good, right? In contrast, the year has only seen 63 IPOs from the elder brother i.e. mainboard, only 48 of which managed to post any listing gains. And getting an allotment has also been a major uncertainty, given the unusually high demand this year. <h2>So, what's an SME <keyword id="6354763" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPO" source="Orion">IPO</keyword>, you ask?</h2>Think of a mainboard company as Shah Rukh or Salman Khan—well-established, financially stable, strong legacy of profitability, and fairly well-known. On the other hand, SMEs are your Prateek Gandhi (Harshad Mehta, Scam 1992), Siddhant Chaturvedi (MC Sher, Gully Boy) or Avinash Tiwary (Majnu, Laila Majnu). While they are doing super well, they are yet to make it big like the Khans. They’re currently underdogs, lesser known, but who knows? They can be the next big thing in the future! And SME IPOs are getting a stellar reception. In 2023, 182 such IPOs had raised a substantial Rs 4,967 crore. In 2024, more than 200 companies have already raised over Rs 7,500 crore, and we have four months to go. This, with one quarter of the year still remaining. <div type="image" title="In 2024, India leads IPO activity in the Asia-Pacific region" height="900" width="1200" msid="113875643" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In 2024, India leads IPO activity in the Asia-Pacific region&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> But what does it take for a company to be classified as a small enterprise? The company has to have an annual turnover/income of up to Rs 50 crore, and for a medium enterprise to be called so, its annual income has to be up to Rs 250 crore. When such companies go public, in a bid to raise funds from investors and expand their operations, they launch an IPO, but not on the main exchange, but separately, on NSE’s Emerge and BSE’s SME platform. As of September 2024, <keyword id="4484133" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE-Emerge" source="Orion">NSE Emerge</keyword> has 147 listed participants, while <keyword id="1885131" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSE-SME" source="Orion">BSE SME</keyword> has 155 market makers. Mounting an SME’s IPO is comparatively less stringent than their mainboard counterparts, as far as regulations are concerned since their DRHPs (draft <keyword id="12225712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Red-herring-prospectus" source="Orion">red herring prospectus</keyword>) are not filed with SEBI. So, wouldn’t a lenient treatment make them inherently riskier? Why are they so appealing, you ask? <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/a-company-with-8-employees-looking-to-raise-12-crore-ended-up-getting-applications-worth-over-4700-crore/articleshow/112824522.cms">Delhi firm with just 8 employees seeks ₹12 crore via IPO, gets ₹4,700 crore worth of investor applications!</a> Well, for one, some of them have delivered exceptional returns—we’re talking 100%, 200%. Consider this—Owais Metal and Mineral Processing, which launched its IPO in February this year, delivered a whopping listing gain of 201%. Another SME, Maxposure, whose IPO was out in January 2024, had earned its investors listing gains worth 317.40%! Apparently, higher risks also mean higher returns, and also super high investment. Most SME IPOs need a minimum investment of Rs 1,00,000 or more, as opposed to mainboard IPOs, where you can buy one lot of shares for anywhere between Rs 14,000-15,000. Even the minimum trading lot size for SME shares is about 10,000. In short, you’d have to potentially empty your pockets to invest in an SME IPO. And still, there’s no guarantee that the listing will fill your wallets. For all you know, your pockets before and after the IPO is listed might stay the same - EMPTY! There's also the question of whether or not these SMEs are able to maintain their listing day mojo, or do they just fizzle out thereafter? Data from Prime Database highlights more instances of the latter. As of August 2024, about 166 SME IPOs had made it to the exchanges. Around 72 of them, or close to 50%, could not sustain their momentum going ahead, and were trading below their listing day prices. Consider this. The post listing gains of Medicamen Organics, whose IPO came out in June 2024, earned its investors massive listing gains of over 300%, by listing at Rs 137.85, significantly higher than its price issue price, which was set between Rs 32-34. But as of October 1, 2024, the stock was trading at Rs 64.2. Talk about falls. Additionally, risks of pump-and-dump, and illiquidity, among others makes SME IPOs dangerous See, you're largely venturing into unknown, pitch-dark territories, without much light to guide you. For starters, SME IPOs face less scrutiny from market watchdog SEBI. This also means they are able to list quickly, just 3-4 months. On the other hand, mainboard IPOs can take upto a year before they are cleared for listing. Also, there is far less information and disclosures available about their financials, fundamentals and performance to investors for making an informed decision, as compared to mainboard stocks. Then there’s the issue of illiquidity. Once purchased, you might find it hard to sell off your SME stocks, since they are not traded as frequently in the market, which means lower liquidity. Trivesh D, COO, Tradejini explains that liquidity is a major concern for such stocks. “These stocks typically have a smaller free float, and are traded in lots, which can lead to volatility and sharp price swings. This means it can be challenging for investors to buy or sell shares without significantly impacting prices. Additionally, speculative trading practices, like 'pump-and-dump' schemes, can inflate stock prices, leaving retail investors vulnerable to sudden drops”. Recently, SME IPOs have gained notoriety for price manipulation via showing fictitious sales and revenue in their books of accounts, selling of promoter holdings at inflated prices, and being the facade for many infamous <keyword id="10663340" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pump-and-Dump" source="Orion">pump and dump</keyword> schemes. This is where select people create frenzy, or mass euphoria over a particular stock or company, causing its prices to soar, and then dumping them, or selling their shares at this massive price to make a killing! Infact, it's not just the promoters, but also the investment banks floating these IPOs. At present, SEBI is investigating around 6 investment banks which have allegedly charged SMEs a staggering 15% of funds raised via IPOs as fee, as opposed to the standard 1-3%. In March 2024, SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch had also highlighted witnessing signs of manipulation in the SME space. “We do see signs of manipulation in the SME segment. We are able to see certain patterns.” Buch had observed back then. Adds Kresha Gupta, Founder &amp; Director, StepTrade Share Services, “Investing in SME IPO comes with significant risks, despite their impressive returns in recent years. Limited participation from institutional investors and public in some SME IPOs also mean that those companies may lack the support and stability that comes with larger-scale investments” “Additionally, many SMEs may not have strong fundamentals to justify their valuations. High P/E ratios can be misleading, and while some IPOs have delivered impressive returns, they often come with significant volatility, continues D of Tradejini. <h2>So, should I stay away? </h2>Yes, and No. Yes, if you don't want to do your homework of researching the company thoroughly beforehand. Anand K. Rathi, Co-Founder of MIRA Money suggests asking a couple of questions before investing your hard earned money: <ul><li>What is the company's financial performance over the past 3-4 years?</li><li>What is the company's governance structure?</li><li>Is the financial success driven by the IPO, or is it a result of consistent performance?</li><li>Does the company have what it takes to scale its operations to the next level?</li><li>Are the company’s promoters trustworthy, capable and experienced?</li><li>What is the level of participation by large, institutional investors?</li></ul> But staying away completely? Not necessary. Gupta adds that retail investors, in particular, should avoid viewing SME IPOs as quick money-makers based on their short-term performance, as this can certainly lead to poor investment decisions. “To mitigate risks, investors should always focus on long-term fundamentals rather than just short-term price movements. Key indicators include the participation of institutional investors like DIIs and FIIs. This often signals confidence in the stock”, she continues. A red flag you should look out for is if a company is only offering OFS, or Offer for Sale. This can indicate early investors looking to exit, potentially signaling weaker future growth. That's why it is better to look for companies which are raising capital for expansion purposes. This is a sign of healthy business growth prospects and improving fundamentals. In conclusion, backing the underdog, or SMEs, is not a bad proposition, but not without its risks. Investing in SME IPOs is like riding a unicorn—but you don't know whether you're riding it to rags or riches! So, take your pick.

Why investing in SME IPOs should not be on top of your adventure to-do list!

Mumbai, Mar 16 () Actor Ajay Devgn on Tuesday announced that his upcoming production "<keyword id="7148126" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-big-bull">The Big Bull</keyword>", featuring <keyword id="499" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="abhishek-bachchan">Abhishek Bachchan</keyword>, is set to release on Disney+ Hotstar VIP on April 8. The film, directed by Kookie Gulati, is part of the Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex slate, which was announced last year. Devgn took to Twitter and shared the teaser of the film, which reportedly chronicles the story of stockbroker Harshad Mehta, to be played by Bachchan. "Introducing 'The Big Bull'. The mother of all scams! Trailer out on 19th March. #TheBigBull releasing on 8th April only on @DisneyplusHSVIP, stay tuned!#DisneyPlusHostarMultiplex," the actor-producer wrote. "The Big Bull" also features Ileana D'Cruz, Nikita Dutta, Soham Shah, Ram Kapoor, Supriya Pathak and Saurabh Shukla. The movie is produced by Devgn and Anand Pandit with Kumar Mangat Pathak and Vikrant Sharma attached as co-producers. The story of Harshad Mehta-from single-handedly taking the stock market to dizzying heights before his catastrophic downfall-was recently put to screen by filmmaker Hansal Mehta in last year's acclaimed series, "Scam 1992".

Abhishek Bachchan starrer 'The Big Bull' to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar next month

Reclusive investor and billionaire <keyword id="6505089" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Radhakishan-Damani">Radhakishan Damani</keyword> who owns retail chain <keyword id="2407038" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="DMart">DMart</keyword> is now among the 100 richest people in the world. Damani, who grew up in a humble background is now ranked 98 on the <keyword id="962341" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bloomberg-Billionaires-Index">Bloomberg Billionaires Index</keyword> with a net worth of $ 19.2 billion. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index is a daily ranking of the world's richest people. The other Indians in the top 100 are Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Azim Premji, <keyword id="6689214" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pallonji-mistry">Pallonji Mistry</keyword>, Shiv Nadar, Lakshmi Mittal. Damani was raised in a Marwari family in a single room apartment in Mumbai. He studied commerce at the <keyword id="166572" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="University-of-Mumbai">University of Mumbai</keyword> but dropped out after one year. After the death of his father who worked on Dalal Street, Damani left his ball bearing business and became a stock market broker and investor. In the year 1992, after the Harshad Mehta Scam came to limelight, he saw a major rise in his income due to the short-selling profits during the time. He quit the stock market in 2000 to start his own hypermarket chain, DMart, setting up the first store in Powai in 2002. The chain had 25 stores in 2010, post-which the company grew rapidly and went public in 2017. Damani keeps a low profile and rarely gives any interviews. He has also taught his stock trading techniques to Indian billionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. In 2020, he became the fourth richest Indian with a net worth of $16.5 billion. He was ranked #117 on the global list of billionaires. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/who-confirms-existence-of-fake-covishield-vaccines-in-india-serum-institute-pushes-for-a-booster-shot/articleshow/85422663.cms">WHO confirms existence of fake Covishield vaccines in India; Serum Institute pushes for a booster shot</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/investing-in-gold-if-you-dont-want-to-buy-jewellery-or-bars-there-are-several-ways-to-do-it-digitally/articleshow/85421865.cms">Investing in gold: If you don’t want to buy jewellery or bars, there are several ways to do it digitally</a>

DMart's Radhakishan Damani enters Bloomberg's global top 100 rich list

New Delhi, Oct 9 () A low-pressure area formed over north Andaman Sea is likely to intensify into a depression and move towards the east coast, bringing <keyword id="69024" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="heavy-rainfall">heavy rainfall</keyword> from Odisha to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and Telangana on Sunday and Monday, the <keyword id="6366970" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="imd">IMD</keyword> has warned. It said the low-pressure area formed this morning and is likely to turn into a depression in the next 24 hours. A low-pressure area is the first stage of any cyclone but it is not necessary that every low-pressure area intensifies into a cyclone. However, cyclones usually form in the Bay of Bengal and batter the east coast in October. Under the influence of this low-pressure area and the resultant cyclonic circulation, light-to-moderate rainfall is likely at most places with heavy (6.5-12 cm) falls at isolated places over Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands on Friday and Saturday. From Saturday, rainfall will also lash Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rayalaseema, interior Karnataka and Marathwada. It will intensify in the areas except for Rayalaseema on Sunday and Monday, the <keyword id="6355166" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India-meteorological-department">India Meteorological Department</keyword> said. The sea is also expected to be rough. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the Andaman Sea and east-central Bay of Bengal on October 9-10, along and off Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts and over Gulf of Mannar from early Sunday till Monday forenoon. "Fishermen out at sea in the Bay of Bengal are advised to return to the coast," the IMD said in a statement. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/what-was-the-harshad-mehta-scam-1992-checkout-this-story-on-sonyliv/articleshow/78571540.cms">Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story is streaming on SonyLIV— Here's what the infamous scam was all about</a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/what-was-the-harshad-mehta-scam-1992-checkout-this-story-on-sonyliv/articleshow/78571540.cms"></a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/supreme-court-refuses-to-cancel-clat-or-stay-the-counselling-process/articleshow/78571183.cms">Supreme Court refuses to cancel CLAT or stay the counselling process</a>

Heavy rainfall likely in parts of east coast, Karnataka and Telangana on October 11 and 12, says IMD

Members of <keyword id="4863655" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maratha-organisations">Maratha organisations</keyword> hit the streets in <keyword id="2358003" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="different-parts">different parts</keyword> of Maharashtra on Friday to protest against the inept handling of the issue of quota for the community in jobs and education by <keyword id="9276462" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-maha-vikas-aghadi">the Maha Vikas Aghadi</keyword> (MVA) government. In Osmanabad district in central Maharashtra, protesters held a demonstration near the famous Tuljabhavani temple over the quota issue. BJP MP Sambhaji <keyword id="8860" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chhatrapati">Chhatrapati</keyword> also took part in the protest. Another protest was held at Parliin Beed district, also in central Maharashtra. The protesters accused the Shiv Sena-led government of adopting a lackadaisical attitude towards the quota issue. Because of an indifferent attitude by the three-party alliance government, the 2018 quota law was stayed by the Supreme Court, they alleged "We oppose the government going ahead with the police recruitment and Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exams," they said. Maratha groups say these exams should not be conducted till there is a clarity on reservation for candidates from the community in government jobs. Meanwhile, BJP Rajya Sabha MP <keyword id="178535" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Udayanraje-Bhosale">Udayanraje Bhosale</keyword>, the direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, supported the demand to postpone the October 11 MPSC exams. In a Facebook post, he said the Maratha Kranti Morcha and student organisations have demanded postponement of the MPSC exams, but the state government is going ahead with the them, which is unfair. "If there is any flare up, the state government will be held responsible," Bhosale said. Early last month, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the 2018 Maharashtra law granting reservation to Marathas in education and jobs. It referred to a larger constitution bench the batch of pleas challenging the validity of the law granting reservation to Marathas in education and jobs. The Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018, was enacted to grant reservation to people of the Maratha community in jobs and admissions. <keyword id="1201797" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Bombay-High-Court">The Bombay High Court</keyword>, while upholding the law in June last year, had held that 16 per cent reservation was not justifiable and said that quota should not exceed 12 per cent in employment and 13 per cent in admissions. <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/mira-nairs-a-suitable-boy-to-premiere-on-netflix-in-october/articleshow/78571222.cms">Mira Nair's 'A Suitable Boy' to premiere on Netflix in October</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/what-was-the-harshad-mehta-scam-1992-checkout-this-story-on-sonyliv/articleshow/78571540.cms">Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story is streaming on SonyLIV— Here's what the infamous scam was all about</a>

Maratha Organisations hit the streets to protest against job reservation

<ul><li><keyword id="2962484" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mi-India">Mi India</keyword> launched the latest edition of its annual report ‘<keyword id="10631021" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="patchwall-replay-2020">PatchWall Replay 2020</keyword>’.</li><li>The report throws light on the latest insights and interesting trends from the <keyword id="350845" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Show-Business">show business</keyword>.</li></ul> Mi India in its annual trend report ‘<keyword id="10631022" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="patchwall-replay">PatchWall Replay</keyword> 2020’ revealed that there was a 161% increase in news views in 2020. The study evaluates the consumption patterns of over 5 million consumers across 25+ content partners and throws light on the latest insights and interesting trends from the show business. Mi India had introduced PatchWall on Mi TV’s in 2018. Designed specifically for the Indian market, PatchWall provides one of the largest content libraries comprising both Indian and global content partners. In 2020 alone, PatchWall witnessed over 14 billion interactions across different categories such as movies, TV shows, music, kids entertainment etc. From strict lockdowns to a roller-coaster of emotions, the year 2020 was entailed by unprecedented challenges. However, with the world going digital across entertainment, work, education, and communication, 2020 witnessed an immense growth in the media streaming landscape. After surveying 5 million consumers, Mi India’s PatchWall Replay 2020 details out all the trends that dominated the Indian OTT space in the last year. Commenting on the unveiling of the report, Eshwar Nilakantan, Category Lead - Mi TVs, Mi India, said, "Mi TVs have become an integral part of families and consumers’ lives and they further solidify Mi India’s leadership in the smart TV segment. Having sold over 5 million TVs, we not only understand the requirements of Indian consumers, but have also taken significant steps to address their needs. “Content first” has always been our Mi TV team’s philosophy and that led the company to introduce PatchWall on Mi TVs and since then, we have rolled out over 40+ features and extended partnership with 25+ content partners. We are happy to unveil PatchWall Replay 2020’, it throws light on what India watched in 2020, across all OTT platforms.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="From blockbusters to originals, content that trended" text="From blockbusters to originals, content that trended">From blockbusters to originals, content that trended</cmsannotation> While the pandemic put a halt on ‘Let’s go and watch a movie, it’s Friday’ in 2020, the love for movies among people didn’t subside. For a Friday release, PatchWall generated similar traffic as a housefull on a first day - first show across all 3k+ multiplex chains in India. There was a 2.5X increase in the number of people watching movies on weekdays as compared to 2019, making views increase by 97% in the movies category. Laxxmi, Dil Bechara, Angrezi Medium, Lootcase, Chhalaang, Khaali Peeli and Chintu Ka Birthday, among others were some of the popular movies, trending in 2020. India gravitated towards strong performances, Rajnikanth trended in February, followed by Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan in March, and Superhero movies taking the spot in May. July was ruled by Sushant Singh Rajput, and soon India’s focus shifted to cricket in August. Akshay Kumar and Mulan made highlights in November and December respectively. According to the report, April to August were blockbuster months, because of movies releasing on OTT platforms during that time. 2020 was the year of some fantastic performance and original shows and series. With Indian audiences appreciating new categories in TV shows, the segment recorded 133 percent increase in engagement. Shows such as Mirzapur 2, Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, Pataal Lok, Sam Jam, Loser, Geetha Subramanyam scored big. April to June aired a devotional vibe in the living rooms with people reminiscing their old times with shows like Mahabharat, Ramayana, Devon ke Dev..Mahadev, and Shaktiman. There were more than 3 million interactions across these shows. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Kids’ content streaming witnessed new highs" text="Kids’ content streaming witnessed new highs">Kids’ content streaming witnessed new highs</cmsannotation> With education turning its route to the digital mode, the edutainment category saw a 177 percent increase along with a 205 percent increase in overall kids streaming. Wheels on the bus’, ‘Tales of Akbar and Birbal’, ‘Bal Ganesha’ were the stars of kids’ edutainment category, and ‘Show yourself’ and ‘Baby Shark’ became the new kids anthem. Interestingly, there were more than a million kids mode sessions trusted a million times by parents across India. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Regional language consumption increased" text="Regional language consumption increased">Regional language consumption increased</cmsannotation> The regional language content made space in the streaming landscape and a 56 percent increase was observed in this segment. PatchWall has content across 16+ languages including Punjabi, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Assamese, Odia, Rajasthani, Urdu along with Haryanvi. The top languages that saw an increased consumption trend were Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Malayalam, Bengali. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Fitness pumped its way up" text="Fitness pumped its way up">Fitness pumped its way up</cmsannotation> Online platforms served as fitness companions as well. With no access to gyms, Zumba classes, Yoga etc., the fitness category received a good boost with an increase of 93 percent views. From how to lose weight in 21 days to meditation for relaxing and yoga stretches, people tried to maintain their fitness regimes. Interestingly, users were pigging out on searches such as Sarson da saag, Jeera Chicken, Yoga stretch and instant 5 ingredient ice-cream. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Bigger appetite for Live news" text="Bigger appetite for Live news">Bigger appetite for Live news</cmsannotation> With a lot happening across the globe, news in any mode took most of the space. In response to this, a 161% increase in news views paved its way. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Grooving to music in our living rooms" text="Grooving to music in our living rooms">Grooving to music in our living rooms</cmsannotation> More than 20 million minutes were spent by PatchWall unsers listening and grooving to their favorite songs. Badshah, Arijit Singh, the duo Vishal-Shekhar, A.R Rahman, and Neha Kakkar rocked the charts the whole year and the popular music videos that glued Indians to their screens included Genda Phool, Illegal Weapon, Dus Bahane, Bhankaas, and Khulke Jeena ka. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Eat. Binge. Sleep. Repeat. with PatchWall" text="Eat. Binge. Sleep. Repeat. with PatchWall">Eat. Binge. Sleep. Repeat. with PatchWall</cmsannotation> The new trend surfacing was Eat.Binge.Sleep.Repeat. The newly launched features of PatchWall such as India Top 10 Today, Celebrity Watchlist, and Collections recorded 87 million views. India Top 10 Today: It garnered 48 million views with top trending titles such as Laxmii, Dil Bechara, Mirzapur 2, Scam 1992- The Harshad Mehta Story, Mulan, Darbar, Chintu ka Birthday, Pataal Lok, and Aarya, along with Colour Photo. Celebrity Watchlist &amp; Collections: This feature accounted for 39 million views with people exploring the watchlists of Vidya Balan, <keyword id="475128" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pankaj-Tripathi">Pankaj Tripathi</keyword>, Ali Faizal, Maanvi Garoo, and Abhishek Bachchan. In just 2.5 months, more than a million people created Watchlists, and watched more trailers with the new User centre feature added on Patchwall. PatchWall Replay 2020 shows how the OTT space witnessed a major boom in 2020 with people looking for fresh and rejuvenating content across platforms.

2020 saw a 161% increase in news views: Mi India PatchWall Replay 2020

Can you imagine that for one whole month way back in the early 1990s no stocks were traded in Mumbai? It did not matter whether you were a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Tata">Tata</a> or a<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=+Birla"> Birla</a> or an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Ambani">Ambani</a> or a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Godrej">Godrej</a> or a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=wadia">Wadia</a> or for that matter the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Life+Insurance+Corporation+of+India">Life Insurance Corporation of India</a>. You just did not know the value of your stocks lying in your cupboard. 
 
Not so long ago the Indian government, listed stocks, company managements and investors of all hues were hostages to a closed coterie of brokers running our financial markets. It was THE private club to belong to, only that entry was restricted to a few. 
 
They decided when the markets would open, who would get paid for shares sold and who would get delivery for stock purchased. In short, their control was total. 
 
It wasn’t a gang of people who had white skins and ran our markets from overseas. They certainly weren’t aliens either but everyone accepted their rule without murmur. 
 
Since it is August 15th today this is just the right time to check out how hard investors fought for their freedom. 
 
So, read on: 
 
Today a transaction happens at the push of button on a mobile phone. Invisible shares are transferred to your demat account or money hits your bank in less than 3 days. But imagine if you did not get paid for 3 months for the shares you sold, or worse you did not get the stocks that you purchased for as long as 6 months? 
 
Life was tough for an investor until the late 1990s. The poor fellow needed more than just luck to make money. He needed a huge effort just to keep his legitimately purchased portfolio in his name. All around him were fake share certificates, many brokers who would refuse to pay on time, if at all, and often hand out bad deliveries when pressed to the wall. 
 
The poor investor did not even have a government mandated regulator until the mid-1990s. He had just no shoulder to cry on. 
 
The world of investing was unequal. It was cruel as well. 
 
Unlike today where the dominance of the National Stock Exchange is unquestioned, Indian markets were fragmented. From the early 1900s to the 1990s there were more than a dozen stock bourses across the country even though the dominant alpha male remained the Bombay Stock Exchange. A broking ticket on the BSE could set you back by a cool 4 crore rupees and it wasn’t available off the shelf even if you had the money lined up. 
 
Right up till the mid-1990s, a broker on the BSE was like GOD: in capital letters. The broker was the ultimate He-Man. He controlled the destinies of investors, listed companies and their managements. In him rested the power to push any stock to stratospheric levels or to bring it down into the basement in a matter of a few trading days. His wealth was unimaginable. 
 
An investor would pay at least 2 percent brokerage on either side to just get his transaction completed. Since there were no screens and trading was done in a small ring, invariably the fellow was billed the highest rate when he bought the stock and the lowest price when he sold it. The misery did not end here. 
 
The world of share certificates was physical. You got a handful of dirty, greasy and torn share certificates in exchange of money paid weeks, perhaps, months in advance. They had a transfer deed attached on top of them with a signature of the current holder. You stuck revenue stamps at the back of the transfer deed and sent it to the company’s address to get the shares transferred in your name. 
 
Most investors were God fearing. They had to be. 
 
It was entirely possible that the share certificates would come back as fake, or the company could sit on them for months together to create an artificial scarcity of the stock in the market. If you DON’T have delivery, you CAN’T sell, can you? 
 
In the meantime the price would be jacked up and you couldn’t do a thing to benefit from that lovely rise in the value of your holdings because you did not get the shares returned to you! They would come back once the price settled about 50 percent lower. 
 
And if you were really unlucky, the seller’s signature on the transfer deed wouldn’t match the one kept in the company’s records. 
 
There were scams galore. You think of it and it happened here in India. IPO scams, aqua-culture companies without ponds and Timber companies without forests merrily raised money and ran away. 
 
So, how did all this end? 
 
Well, there was a massive scam in 1991 led by a broker called Harshad Mehta. No one will EVER come close to Harshad’s charisma. No one. Harshad was much bigger than Dilip Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan all rolled together. Waves and waves of investors would come to greet him when he stepped out of the BSE. Harshad mesmerised everyone from the government, to investors, to companies, to managements and the retail investors. 
 
All came under his spell. 
 
Harshad misused a local financing tool to raise funds. When the scam broke out, the government came down heavily on the coterie of brokers. It wanted someone to be punished for the crime which saw many PSU bankers losing their jobs. 
 
And how did the brokers respond? They shut the BSE for one month. No trade was done. No scrip was quoted and no one knew what his or her portfolio was worth. 
 
A government held hostage struck back with equal ferocity. The Securities &amp; Exchange Board of India was set up. 
 
The crisis also led to the inception of the government backed National Stock Exchange which guaranteed the following: Trades would be settled on each Tuesday. Money would hit your bank on Wednesday or the shares would be delivered to you within a week. Your trade was guaranteed by the NSE. It would result in either payment of money or delivery of shares. 
 
Slowly but surely investors started to move their transactions to the NSE. The BSE lost its sheen. Later, the government mandated that all share certificates be dematerialised and physical deliveries be stopped. By early 2000 all deliveries became electronic and trading was screen based. 
 
The trading ring in the BSE fell silent. 
 
At the same time Badla financing was replaced by Futures and Options trading. Slowly the BSE followed the NSE in its settlement and payment procedures. But the battle was lost. All regional stock exchanges died a natural death. 
 
It’s a rare business case where a public sector company won handsomely against a privately run giant. And it all happened in India! 
 
Today, investors and traders enjoy unparalleled freedom on Indian stock exchanges as they are the best in the world when it comes to technology, speed and transactional quality. I hope this continues well into the future. 
 
But it was one heck of a battle that the small guy won and won handsomely! 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

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