Kohli's One8 relaunches under Agilitas with Rs 40 crore bet to beat India's celebrity-brand curse
Virat Kohli reboots lifestyle-sportswear brand One8 through Agilitas Sports, backed by Rs 40 crore and ex-Puma chief Abhishek Ganguly. The play leans on Mochiko manufacturing and Lotto India licensing to break the pattern of failing celebrity consumer brands.
What happened
Virat Kohli relaunches lifestyle-sportswear brand One8 via Agilitas Sports with Rs 40 crore backing and ex-Puma exec Abhishek Ganguly, betting on Mochiko
Key facts
- Rs 40 crore
- 17 prototypes
- Rs 232.34 crore FY25 income
- Rs 265.65 crore prior income
- 9% revenue drop
- Rs 223 crore revenue
- 32% net loss increase
- Rs 75.5 crore net loss
- Rs 56.7 crore prior loss
- Rs 110-crore Puma deal
- Rs 300 crore exit value
Why this matters
The ex-Puma leadership, Mochiko manufacturing, and Lotto India licensing signal a platform-building strategy where partnership and portfolio consolidation could be more valuable than the One8 brand alone.
What to watch
- Agilitas FY26 H1 revenue/loss trend — narrowing vs widening
- One8 first-quarter sell-through and repeat-purchase data
- Additional celebrity or PE capital injection into Agilitas
- Competitor discounting from Puma, Adidas, Campus in the mid-premium band
- Any Kohli disengagement or reduced brand-activation cadence
- Watch Agilitas fundraise or debt raise to fund the Rs 40 crore bet amid rising losses
- Expect heavy Kohli-led marketing push around a relaunch event or IPL/cricket calendar
- Look for expanded Lotto product SKUs and Mochiko-made footwear to hit e-commerce channels
- Monitor omnichannel retail partnerships (Myntra, Ajio, exclusive stores)