Candere, the digital-first jewellery arm of Kalyan Jewellers, now has two brand ambassadors who represent very different Indias. Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, who has fronted the brand since its launch. And now, cricketer Smriti Mandhana.
The company announced her appointment on June 28, saying she will appear alongside Khan in campaigns. The move is a bet on cricket’s growing female audience.
Mandhana, one of India’s most accomplished women’s cricketers, brings a fanbase that has been expanding rapidly as the sport draws larger television ratings and sponsorship deals. Candere is positioning itself to capture that attention. Ramesh Kalyanaraman, a director at Candere, said Mandhana’s influence extends beyond the cricket field.
He described her as representing a generation that values ambition, authenticity and confidence. “Together, they reflect the diversity of today’s India and the many ways consumers express themselves,” he said.
What Candere is doing here is not subtle. The brand operates entirely online, targeting younger demographics who shop digitally and view jewellery as everyday wear, not just for weddings and festivals. Mandhana fits that pitch.
She said in the company statement that jewellery is part of her personal style, something she wears daily as “the finishing touch that makes me feel like myself.” That language matters. The brand is trying to shift how young Indian women think about jewellery. No longer a family heirloom locked in a locker.
No longer reserved for Diwali or a cousin’s wedding. Something you put on with jeans and a T-shirt.
Something you buy for yourself, online, on a Tuesday afternoon. The timing is deliberate. Women’s cricket is commanding more attention across the country.
The Women’s Premier League has drawn big broadcast numbers and corporate sponsors. Players like Mandhana have become household names in a way that was unthinkable a decade ago.
Candere is attaching itself to that momentum before it peaks. For Kalyan Jewellers, which is one of India’s largest jewellery retailers by revenue, Candere represents its push into e-commerce. The parent company has hundreds of showrooms across India and the Middle East, but the digital arm is meant to catch consumers who never walk into a store.
Mandhana, who is active on social media and has a young, engaged following, is a direct line to that audience. What happens next is the real question. The brand now has two faces: Khan, who appeals to a broad, older, mainstream audience.
Mandhana, who speaks to a younger, more female, more digital-savvy consumer. Whether Candere can make both work in the same campaign, without diluting either message, will determine if this is a smart bet or just another endorsement deal.
Mandhana’s own career trajectory adds weight. She is not a retired player trading on past glory. She is active, in form, and still building her legacy.
Every match she plays from now on will be watched by a brand that has invested in her image. That is a different kind of pressure.
For the consumer, the effect is more immediate. A young woman scrolling through Instagram or YouTube will see a cricketer she admires wearing a necklace or a pair of earrings in a casual setting. Not a bridal ad.
Not a festival campaign. Just everyday style. That is the message Candere is paying for.
The company did not disclose financial terms of the deal. It did not say how long the contract runs or whether Mandhana will appear in television commercials or only digital content.
What is clear is that the brand sees her as a long-term investment, not a short-term publicity stunt. Candere’s strategy is simple. Tie a rising star to a brand that wants to feel modern.
Let the athlete’s authenticity do the selling. And hope the consumer agrees that jewellery is not just for special occasions anymore.
