May 07, 2012 07:21 PM
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(Updated May 07, 2012 07:26 PM)
I was watching an IPL match recently when during one of the interminable breaks for ads, I saw for the first time the ad featuring yesteryears superstar Rajesh Khanna, an apology of his former self, promoting Havell Fans. I had terrible mixed emotions when I saw a sad degradation to an actor I did not exactly admire, or was ever the fan of, but he always was someone who latent talent I appreciated and even his most ardent critics cannot undermine what he had achieved in his heydays. He was the first genuine Indian movie Superstar. He has now acted in his first TV ad, which leaves viewers gasping for breath with disbelief, and some sorrow and nostalgia, for an age long gone past. I was deeply moved, and I first posted an audience poll in Mouthshut, and interestingly, 50% of the responses said that he should not have done the ad, whilst the other 50% felt that professionals will do anything for money. No one opted for the third option, i.e., that the ad was cute!
The Legacy: Rajesh Khanna has acted in 163 films of which 106 had him as the solo lead hero and 22 were two hero projects. He has won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards, while being nominated fourteen times for the same. He was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. Khanna is the first real “Superstar" of Hindi cinema, having made his debut in 1966 with Aakhri Khat, and rising to prominence with his performances in films like Raaz, Baharon Ke Sapne, Ittefaq and Aradhana. His fans were legion, and during the peak of his career he would be mobbed during public appearances. Fans kissed his car, which would be covered with lipstick marks, and lined the road, cheering and chanting his name. Female fans sent him letters written in their blood(yuck!). There used to be a line of cars of his producers and hysterical fans outside his bungalow every day. It was reputed that girls married themselves to photographs of Rajesh Khanna, cutting their fingers and applying the blood as sindoor. Rajesh was God at that time, and for a movie crazy nation, there really has never been such hysteria for a movie star. He lived up to his reputation giving 15 consecutive solo superhits between 1969 to 1972, which is still an unbroken record in Indian film history. The success declined during 1976–78, maybe with the advent of the ‘angry young man’ who brought in a fresh paradigm to Hindi Cinema. And so, when you weigh the strength of his achievements and the making of an ad like this which almost ridicules him and his achievements, it is difficult not to feel sorry for the man, whether you like him or not.
The Ad: For those of you who have seen the ad, you will of course understand what I mean. But for all those of you who haven’t watched it, the ad goes like this. The ad captures the glorious past when the Star is shown acting in movies which were awesome hits. The ad goes on to give viewers a glimpse of his fan following, which was unprecedented at that time. The background score of ‘Zindagi ka Safar’ is apt, and the camera moves on to signal the passing of an era and how, the actor seems convinced that his ‘fans’ will never leave him, and ends by showing us Rajesh Khanna surrounded by hundreds of fans(as in ceiling, pedestal, wall-mounted and table fans)! Rajesh Khanna looks old and frail like he probably is now.
The Humour: For those with a sense of humour, and for those who do not take this ad too seriously, it is a brilliant ad, with Havells literally enjoying a casting coup by getting Rajesh Khanna to star in an ad which spoofs himself. This shows that either Rajesh Khanna was not aware of the implications of this ad, or that he had a very good sense of humour. The humour is based on the pun around the word ‘fans’. Many advertising experts are hailing the ad as a masterstroke, as it has created a buzz with both people for it, and vociferously against it. And in any case, products and companies thrive on controversy, and any publicity is good publicity for a company which is trying to sell its products. The famous ad guru Prasoon Joshi, Executive Chairman and CEO of McCann Worldgroup India, says that, "It's a bold ad, so true to the life of Rajesh Khanna.” Anil Gupta, joint MD of Havells India, has justified the ad saying that with most fan ads being similar, there was a dire need to shoot an ad, that would break the clutter and stand out. Rajesh Khanna himself interestingly seems delighted about the ad, which gives him an opportunity to reconnect with his fans(the real ones this time!).
The Agency: This ad has been created by advertising agency Lowe Lintas.
The Company: Electrical equipment maker Havells India, which has more than 13% share in the Rs 3, 500-crore fan market in the country.
The Debate: The ad leaves certain poignant questions in the minds of the viewers:
· Should people jettison rich legacies to act in something that scoffs at these very achievements?
· Should actors of his standing have acted on this ad?
· Was he even aware of the implications of his ad, in the minds of those who genuinely admired him? Did he really think he would be able to connect with his real fans?
· Will the ad be able to connect with the younger generation who may not even know him and his achievements?
· Should this ad be taken lightly with a pinch of salt or more profoundly?
The Verdict: Hate the ad or love it, there is one thing which is very clear, and that is that the Havells ad has got the nation talking and created a buzz around the product. So, if there’s nothing else, Havells would(along with the ad agency) be laughing all the way to the bank! Has Rajesh Khanna jeopardised his goodwill in the process. You, dear reader, tell me.
