MxMIndia

Tag: anil thakraney

  • The IPL is huge, it's very successful, and it's here to stay. Everyone loves it. Uncles, aunties, bhabhies, nephews, nieces, saases, bahus, and the family dog

    Anil Thakraney: I concede defeat to IPL

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I have been secretly wishing for the last five years that by some miracle, the IPL vanishes from the scene. Instead, it’s been going from strength to strength. My big allergy to this pyjama form of cricket is that it’s everything but cricket. As a so-called purist, I detest what this tamasha has done to the game itself, and these issues have been debated before.

     

    That aside, I have two other grouses with the IPL. One, the laundry list of controversies. The list is so large, one could write a book titled ‘IPL & Scandals’, and it will be an international bestseller. I recall interviewing the IPL CEO Sundar Raman (for GQ) a couple of years ago, and the question listing the controversies was ten times larger than his response, I had to edit the question to maintain some sort of balance! Since then, the suitcase of scandals has grown even larger. Makes you wonder if such a tournament is worth staging.

     

    My other complaint with the organizers has to do with the manner in which the IPL was born: Sans grace. Lalit Modi (now persona non grata) directly lifted the idea from the Zee group (ICL), without even leaving behind a little Post-it note saying ‘Thank you for the idea, guys’. Rather, the BCCI used tremendous money power to demolish their show, even going to the extent of penalizing young players who had signed up with the ICL. Here’s another interview memory: I met Kapil Dev (then in charge of putting the ICL together) in 2007 (for Mumbai Mirror). The national hero looked utterly crestfallen and defeated… he knew he was captaining a fast sinking ship. I can’t bring myself to respect a project that’s created out of malice and vendetta.

     

    However, all this doesn’t change the fact that the IPL is huge, it’s very successful, and it’s here to stay. Everyone loves it. Uncles, aunties, bhabhies, nephews, nieces, saases, bahus, and the family dog. As ticket sales plummet for traditional cricket, there’s always a mad rush for this nonsense club cricket, people beg and plead for passes. And the TV audiences remain faithful over the long two month period. Plus, it makes marketers very happy. Advertisers queue up to open their purse strings, even if they otherwise complain of ‘recessionary times’. In short, the nation has taken to the IPL gleefully, and old world relics like myself have no option but to eat humble pie and watch the madness from the sidelines.

     

    So let the games begin. Yes, I will gate crash this party. Look out for my review of the opening ceremony on Friday. I am already going ‘Dhumping Dhapaka’, or whatever else Farah Khan calls it.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Now this I like. We need more such cool and spirited souls in India. We are a nation of stuck up people, and it is maha refreshing to watch singer Anvita Dutt personally arrive to accept her ‘insult’. Jai ho!

     

    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5yXEB6meCo&feature=youtu.be

     

  • This is a full on art director’s commercial, very refreshing to see this come from India. And the folk song track provides the perfect canvas. Basically, it all comes together wonderfully

    Debrief: MP Tourism: Stunning Holi ad

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Excellent commercial from MP Tourism. This is perhaps the best Holi ad of all time. It’s a very simple idea: As visitors get hit by Holi gulal and coloured water, the material takes the form of important state tourism destinations. Such as the Kanha wildlife, the Sanchi Stupa, the Khajuraho artworks, etc.

     

    And therefore the fate of the ad lies totally in the magic that one can create with the execution. Must say it’s quite beautifully done. The special effects look very cool, and the treatment is arresting. This is a full on art director’s commercial, very refreshing to see this come from India. And the folk song track provides the perfect canvas. Basically, it all comes together wonderfully, and all the colour splash would add to the allure for a traveller, especially the firangis.

     

    I am not a fan of Holi, haven’t played it in many years. But this ad makes me want to take part. And yes, all the interesting tourist destinations are brought out naturally, without ramming them down our throats, and this makes you want to pay MP a visit. Plus it all ties in naturally with the Big Brand promise: ‘Incredible India’. What more can one possibly ask from a tourism ad?

     

    Good work.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LttnTnz8TXI[/youtube]

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4. Another super MP Tourism ad.

     

  • MxMIndia Editor-at-Large Anil Thakraney analyses the issues thrown up by the JWT-Ford scam ad controversy, and puts things in perspective

    #Scamadgate | Anil Thakraney: Let’s face the facts

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    For many creative people, it’s not been a long weekend to celebrate. I noticed there was high action on social media, as folks got busy venting over Bobby Pawar’s unfortunate sacking. While on one level I am delighted to witness this ‘standing up for a colleague’ campaign, must say that in all the furious excitement, people seem to have overlooked some key considerations. Also, I could not help but notice a similarity between the outcry and another campaign that’s underway simultaneously: And that’s ‘Pardon for Sanjay Dutt’. In one case, Bollywood has launched a massive PR drive to save their ‘hero’. And in the other one, ad land is seeking justice for their own fallen star. Both campaigns have one thing in common: Lost in emotion, we aren’t able to view the situations objectively.

     

    So allow me to deal with the main arguments put out by the creative people:

    It’s not a scam, the posters were approved by the client: This is technically correct. If a Ford executive endorsed the ads, they become official work. And the news is that Ford has sacked the concerned employee. This seems fair. However, that still doesn’t change the fact that these ads were created purely for winning awards, that they were never intended for media usage, and therefore they still fall in the ‘scams’ category. In my previous post, I have already discussed the issue of scam ads, and on what needs to be done thereof. Scam ads are rampant in the ad world, several guys and gals do it. But the JWT gang got caught with their hands in a very messy scam, and therefore there had to be retribution.

     

    Bobby Pawar is the convenient ‘fall guy’: Ermm, not really. When work produced by an ad agency brings global disrepute to a client (as has happened in this case), the buck must stop at the desk of the creative chief. The captain has to take full responsibility of his ship, that’s the right way to go about professional life. Sacking only the crazed, award-hungry youngsters is a cop-out, that would send the wrong signals. Also, now that it’s clear that Ford had indeed endorsed this work, it’s no longer a case of some stupid kids jerking off in the back office. JWT’s responsibility becomes total and absolute. And the leader of the pack becomes directly accountable.

     

    But shouldn’t Colvyn Harris have been punished too?: Supporters of this line of argument believe thus: Why must only creative people suffer when advertising is supposed to be team work. And that surely there were servicing people involved in this campaign. Also, as the big JWT India boss, Harris should have been the one to pay. Indeed there is merit in this argument, and am hoping that the client services director who approved this work has been sacked too. However, I am against the idea of penalizing the agency CEO. For the simple reason that Harris would (assumedly) leave the charge of all creative work to his NCD, that’s the professional thing to do. That’s why you hire a national creative director at a very high cost, so that he/she controls the agency’s output. Therefore, logically, that’s where the buck must stop. Let me give you a parallel: If a newspaper runs a false, misleading, illegal story, it’s the editor who will get axed, and not the publisher. Even though bringing out a newspaper is teamwork.

     

    The agency should have stood up for its creative people: I entirely agree with this point of view. If you are expecting your creatives to raise the bar, be prepared to back their edgy work. If you are reluctant to do so, stick to hiring only the safe players. So far, so good. However, in Ford Figo’s case, the creatives didn’t raise the bar, they lowered it to a new low (refer to the para below). And this resulted in a very angry large multinational client, a client that the agency had to assuage, or risk losing forever. Some senior blood had to spill, and Sir Martin Sorrell himself would have been left not very amused if it hadn’t. So before you trash Colvyn Harris (and I carry no candle for him), you must also view this issue from his angle; perhaps the CEO had no choice. I am quite certain if this work had happened for a local, small-time mosquito coils maker, Bobby Pawar would still be inside his cabin. These are harsh realities of the global world, and we have to accept them.

     

    These ads are tongue-in-cheek, we’ve lost the ability to laugh: I must tell you I am always first in queue to back work that challenges the acceptable boundaries. All along in my career, both in media and advertising, I have landed in trouble for believing and indulging in this principle. I am also always ready for a good laugh; safe and boring work pisses me off, my ad reviews will tell you that. But to create a campaign where women are projected as ‘mobile commodity’ is being totally insensitive to the gruesome rapes that keep happening every other day in India, often inside moving vehicles, AND THAT IS NOT FUNNY. If you find these ads hilarious, you need to get your head examined and your values sorted. This nation is deeply misogynistic, and women have been paying a heavy price on account of this sick mindset for a very long time. So please get this right: If you can’t be a part of the solution, for god’s sake don’t be a part of the problem.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are personal. Follow him at @anilthakraney.

     

  • Safety of women is now favourite dinnertime conversation; it was a matter of time before a public service campaign went on air. The Mumbai Police has come up with one, but it's a classic case of noble intention let down by dull communication

    Debrief: Mumbai Police: Weak & Ineffective

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Well, safety of women is now favourite dinnertime conversation; it was a matter of time before a public service campaign went on air. The Mumbai Police has come up with one, and there are quite a few commercials. However, it’s a classic case of noble intention let down by dull communication.

     

    The ads feature policemen talking directly into camera. They first address women, reassuring them that their complaints will be taken seriously. Later, in the same capsule, they address us deviant men, urging us to respect women. This simplicity and honesty sounds perfect on paper, but live action needs a lot more. There are many problems with this approach.

     

    For one, because each ad has been broken into two segments, as a viewer, I mentally switch off as soon as the second section starts, assuming that the same message is running in a loop. This is because the policemen, the camera angle, the set up… it’s the same for both segments. They needed to take care of this inevitability. Two, I don’t know if these guys are real cops, they look like small-time TV actors. Their names appear as supers, but this gets missed very easily. The fact that these are real cops ought to have been highlighted powerfully, credibility of the communication solely rides on that. And lastly, the treatment is ineffective because the creative is weak. As a citizen, I know this is not how cops deal with me in the police station, that all this nicety is only for the camera. Forget policemen, even the traffic cops are petty rude (ask the angry MLAs!). Which is why they needed a stronger approach, something that would make us sit up and say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know the police is nice with women complainants!’. Perhaps they should have played out real experiences of women at police stations. As for the ‘stern’ warning to the goons, it’s so thanda, I can see them going ‘LOL’.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Tch, tch. A good opportunity wasted.

     

  • JWT must consider itself fortunate if Ford decides to continue with the partnership, writes Anil Thakraney

    #Scamadgate: Anil Thakraney: Pawar had to go

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Bobby Pawar must be sorely regretting he’s not a politician. Had he been one, JWT’s creative chief could have said the Ford scam ads are a conspiracy to malign his image, haha. Well, this isn’t Indian rajneeti, and therefore he got the boot. Must say Pawar’s conduct saddens me. As the big leader of the agency, he ought to have immediately taken direct responsibility for the offending ads, and resigned. Even if this crappy work was done by some young, desperate creatives, even if he wasn’t aware of the existence of these ads. Had he done so, Pawar might have walked away into the sunset with some degree of dignity still intact.

     

    Instead, the senior agency leaders’ first reaction was to wash their hands off the mess. Such leaders have to be sacked, no two ways on that. Especially so in the ad world, because scammy, unauthorized ads such as these directly affect the client’s image. It’s only within the global ad frat that the names of WPP and JWT crop up. To the rest of the world, Ford is the offender. Naturally therefore, some blood needed to spill.

     

    Speaking on a larger note, it’s shameful that after all these years of heated discussions on the subject, agency creatives continue to indulge in scam ads to win awards. Hopefully, Pawar’s sacking will result in some change. For one, national creative directors need to start worrying about the kind of culture and values they inculcate within their organizations. If the entire focus is on easy awards, scams will continue to happen, they are inevitable. If youngsters are evaluated mainly on the quantum of awards won, they will be tempted to cheat.

     

    Secondly, it’s high time systems and processes are initiated whereby juniors cannot upload any work that hasn’t been okayed by very senior creative directors. There was a time when young creatives would beg and plead with their media department to get a scam ad released in a lowly newspaper. Now, they just have to tweet it, and it’s out there for the world to see. All the more reason urgent attention needs to be paid to the operating processes, particularly so in large and medium sized ad agencies. One measure I can suggest right away is this: Every single employee needs to sign a declaration that he/she shall not publish anything official on the net without sanction from the national creative director. If they break this rule, they shall get instantly sacked, regardless of the material uploaded.

     

    Lastly, JWT must consider itself fortunate if Ford decides to continue with the partnership. Very fortunate, to be precise.

     

  • You have to be crazy to even imagine that the multi billionaire Ms Chopra would ride a lowly scooter. I know her job in an ad is to look pretty and get the eyeballs, but shouldn't these guys pay at least a modicum of attention to credibility?

    Debrief: Hero Pleasure: Mindless celeb advertising

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    If you are looking for an example of totally daft celebrity-based advertising, then you are at the right place. Hero Pleasure is a ladies-only scooter, and the advertiser asks the right question: Why should boys have all the fun? Indeed why. But in response, you don’t get to hear an interesting answer. What you get instead is Ms Priyanka Chopra! Yikes!

     

    So the mega star cheerfully rides around town on her Hero Pleasure (no one recognises her, of course). She ends up shaking at a happening party with her dad (more yikes!), and makes fun of a chap whose mom is pissed off because he’s out late. Not only is the ad dull, it’s mighty stupid.

     

    But the bigger problem is in the casting. You have to be crazy to even imagine that the multi billionaire Ms Chopra would ride a lowly scooter. I know her job in an ad is to look pretty and get the eyeballs, but shouldn’t these guys pay at least a modicum of attention to credibility? Even if they HAD to use a movie star, why not cast a younger, fresher face, and someone whose personality matches with the brand. To my mind, the solution lies inside Chopra’s own household, her niece Parineeti Chopra. The way the latter has carefully crafted her feisty persona, she appears like someone who might enjoy the odd scooty night out. And because she’s a newcomer, the credibility factor gets some weight.

     

    And the ‘pretty face for attention’ theory doesn’t wash with Priyanka Chopra as she’s endorsing a hundred other brands. You have to wonder if some advertisers even bother to apply their minds before signing huge cheques in the name of the usual celebs.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB63G54LuaM[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Very poor casting. Boring creative.

     

  • Had the media not raised a hue and cry, these murderers were lost to us forever, there's no way the government would have negotiated furiously with their Italian counterparts to find a way to get these doods back. A pat on the back is in order, and am hoping it comes from the usually sleepy PM

    Anil Thakraney | Credit for return of marines must go to media

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Some observations on the two big stories of last week. One, as the government (and strangely the opposition party!) takes credit for the return of the killer Italian marines, no one should forget the role played by the Indian media. In fact, in my books, this is the media’s victory, another feather in the cap. Had the media not raised a hue and cry, these murderers were lost to us forever, there’s no way the government would have negotiated furiously with their Italian counterparts to find a way to get these doods back. A pat on the back is in order, and am hoping it comes from the usually sleepy PM. A side-note on this issue: The marines will live a life of luxury inside their embassy, right till the trial is over. After conviction, which will quite obviously result in a jail term for a few years, they’ll fly to Italy to serve the sentence out there. Wow, how very cool! Wonder who’s having the last laugh in this tragic tale.

     

    Two, despite the boredom I expressed with the Sanjay Dutt saga (read my Friday post), the caravan is chugging along merrily. Bollywood’s PR machinery, now that the frat has discovered the ‘pardon’ option, is in overdrive. They are determined to see that baba never goes to jail again. Of course, these filmi types wouldn’t care for the long term impact of this on the nation’s collective psyche, that’s not their problem. But Justice Katju leaping to the rescue of the criminal star is nothing less than shocking. The retired judge, in his infinite wisdom, forgot that influential people such as himself must stand up for the weak and the deprived. Not for those who are already rich and already well connected. Not sure if Katju realizes this, but his emergence as a huge fan of Sanju baba has dealt a body blow to his own credibility.

     

    One other thing: I saw Katju speak very rudely with NDTV’s Nidhi Razdan and CNN IBN’s Bhupendra Chaubey, when the TV anchors were grilling him over the Dutt pardon issue. Both the journos maintained their composure in the face of what was nothing short of live television humiliation. In fact, Katju even questioned Razdan’s anchoring abilities! To be honest, my blood was on the boil just watching all this go on, full marks to these guys for taking it all so calmly. I do hope to meet Justice Katju someday. Up close.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Must say I am disappointed with the ‘new’ Anandi in Balika Vadhu (Colors). It’s my favourite daily serial, and the producers usually get the casting bang-on. In all these years this must be the first time they’ve got it wrong. The new maiden lacks distinctive character on her face, as also the gravitas required for this particular role. She’s just another pleasant TV face, the sort we encounter in every single soap. Sad.

  • The star must take the Supreme Court verdict on the chin, and prepare himself for some jail time

    Anil Thakraney: The Sanjay Dutt road show

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I know it sounds a bit harsh to say this, but I am glad the Sanjay Dutt crime saga has come to an end. It has been going on for twenty long years, and frankly, it’s gotten really boring now. The star must take the Supreme Court verdict on the chin, and prepare himself for some jail time. Crime was committed (it’s irrelevant whether Dutt was involved innocently or otherwise), and therefore there must be punishment. And who knows, he could be let off much sooner than three and a half years on account of ‘good behaviour’, and there’s always his sweet MP sister around to keep the Dutt family flag flying.

     

    As for the hectic media coverage yesterday, the same, established template came into operation: TV reporters dutifully parked themselves outside the star’s Pali Hill residence, all busy speculating, as the man wouldn’t speak to them. Some Hindi channels gladly fished out eerie footage of the 1993 blasts. Any legal mind who was willing to speak was chased for a sound byte. Entertainment journos were consulted on the likely losses to Bollywood. And of course, movie people queued up to express their intense grief. These days these bleeding hearts vent on Twitter as well, which is the only real change that’s happened in twenty years. I write this post in the evening, and am sure the 9PM TV debates will also work on the same template. The usual bunch of TV suspects will be called to shower us with pearls of wisdom. It’s the Sanjay Dutt script we are all so familiar with.

     

    And to be fair, one really can’t blame the TV channels. What else can you do but follow the set diagram? Nothing has changed in terms of the facts of the case, so you can’t possibly invent a new angle, even if you tried. Am quite certain that secretly, all the journalists must be happy this is finally done and dusted, regurgitating the same stuff over and over again can get very tedious.

     

    Before I sign off, I must state for the record that I have spent some time with Sanjay Dutt, and I can tell you he has a good heart. But that’s of no consequence when it comes to law and order. All his fans must accept this and move on.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Incidentally, here’s the column I wrote for Mumbai Mirror when Dutt was convicted by the TADA court, back in the year 2007. Six years later, I have EXACTLY the same things to say to the convicted star. Yes, I am part of the same media template, this story’s gone on for so damn long!

     

    Link: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/53/200708010308471561291c80b/Kudos-to-Kode.html?pageno=14

     

  • It's well conceived, many of us men would identify with these everyday life situations. Good idea and an equally good execution. This ad assures us that not all Indian men are bad guys

    Debrief: ICICI Prudential: Ad bhi achha hai

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Everyone I’ve spoken to likes the new ICICI Prudential commercial. And I agree with them. That’s because it rides on a tremendous insight: We men (at least some of us) gladly put ourselves in the line of fire to protect our near and dear ones.

     

    Themed ‘Bande Achhe Hain’, the TVC features a collage of such situations. An elderly gent comes in the way of the blazing sunlight on his wife’s face. A dude moves himself in the direction of the passing traffic to keep his lady partner safe. Another one prevents his missus from banging her head against an open cabinet, and so on. It’s well conceived, many of us men would identify with these everyday life situations. Also, what makes the communication strong is that most of us men don’t make a fuss when we do these helpful things, unlike the ladies, hehe.

     

    Good idea and an equally good execution. What I also like is the timing. With increasing incidents of rape and molestation in the nation, desi men are at the lowest point in terms of favourable imagery. This ad assures us that not all Indian men are bad guys. Nice to see a campaign that celebrates men, quite rare in this country, we guys usually (and deservedly) get trashed.

     

    If there’s one little problem I have, it’s the idea’s link with ICICI’s various insurance policies. That link is a bit tenuous, and the advertiser can only hope for a positive rub-off over a period of time. Of course, we already know that ICICI bank’s staffers are really achha bandas. Reportedly, they convert black to white, minus any fuss. 🙂

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-Hx2T4ciws[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3.5. Pleasing ad, strong on empathy.

     

  • I have a bad feeling Justice Katju thinks of Indian journalists exactly what he thinks of the rest of India; perhaps he believes that 90 percent of us are fools, and that might be the reason for the latest diktat

    Anil Thakraney: Katju Sir, how do you teach curiosity?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Haha. Press Council Chairman Justice Shri Markandey Katju has bowled another deadly googly. He now demands that journalists must have certain qualifications before they are hired, and he wants that to be mandated by law. Here’s the link to the story in mxm india: http://www.mxmindia.com/2013/03/mxm-mondays-do-journalists-need-to-be-qualified/

     

    I have a bad feeling Justice Katju thinks of Indian journalists exactly what he thinks of the rest of India; perhaps he believes that 90 percent of us are fools, and that might be the reason for the latest diktat. Be that as it may, one question immediately comes to mind: What sort of a qualification would Justice Katju deem as being appropriate for journalists? Is he happy with the Diploma in Mass Communications sort of a thing? Or does he have something else in mind? Doctorate in social sciences? Master’s degree in law? PhD in qualitative research? Graduate degree in English Literature? Would be interesting to know what would satisfy the boss.

     

    Incidentally, does Justice Katju know that Carl Bernstein, the celebrated American journalist who broke the sensational Watergate scandal, wasn’t even a graduate, that he dropped out of college at the age of 16 to be a journalist? There are plenty of such shining examples. This is not to say the media should hire only school and college drop-outs. Every degree brings value to an individual’s skills, that’s common sense stuff, so there’s no point arguing with that. And it works for all walks of life. But I am not really sure where Justice Katju is going with this, where is he going to draw the line in terms of mandatory education levels.

     

    However, I have a larger point to make: My own experience in journalism has taught me that aside from obvious skills like writing, articulation, research-gathering, etc, the Number One talent every journalist must possess is Curiosity, with a capital C. Minus that, a journalist is pretty much useless. And this is true whether he/she works for a mass TV channel or a niche industry portal. All the degrees collected by the individual are junk if he/she isn’t inquisitive by nature.

     

    So then, dear Justice Katju, how do you teach someone to be a nosy parker? That single most important journalistic attribute. I would really like to know, I am curious! 🙂

     

    ***

     

    PS: Good TV campaign by END7, an international NGO. The ads show how celebs react when faced with a ghastly tropical disease. Apart from other big names, it features our very own Ms Priyanka Chopra. Ready to squirm? Er, at the disease, not her acting skills.

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYimJKg9QiE[/youtube]

     

     

     

  • Is it entertaining/engaging, will people enjoy repeat exposures? If you are doubtful of this, trash the idea. The Frooti ad, after the first exposure, is very painful to watch

    Debrief: Frooti: Simple. But boring.

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    To Frooti’s credit, at least they haven’t put out a typical lifestyle ad. At least there’s an idea, which is the ‘drool’ factor. As in, when you are really hot and thirsty, you would stare longingly at the sod who’s gulping down a cold drink. But apart from that, the TVC goes downhill.

     

    So, SRK downs the drink, as some footballers and kids continuously stare at him. That’s pretty much all that happens. For some strange reason (perhaps because it’s a football field), they’ve used what sounds like a Spanish track, which is Greek to most of us, so it adds no value to the commercial. But the bigger mistake is that of using Khan. Because he’s over used and over abused in advertising (and media), the moment the film opens with him, you switch off mechanically. Given that the idea is so simple, they definitely needed a rarely used celeb, if at all.

     

    There’s another problem: When you decide to keep things simple, which is a good thing in advertising, the first question you need to ask yourself is this: But is it entertaining/engaging, will people enjoy repeat exposures? If you are doubtful of this, trash the idea. The Frooti ad, after the first exposure, is very painful to watch. Even you are a diehard SRK fan, which I am not. I think this very critical factor was overlooked at the storyboard stage, when it should have been on top of the agenda for a cold drink ad.

     

    Net net: Shah Rukh Khan just bagged another load of big moolah. And Frooti got forgotten in the bargain. Waste of money.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hn6EzpB9KA[/youtube]

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Yawn.

     

  • It's now a given; the moment a cricketer retires, by default he walks into the commentary box. The latest entrant, VVS Laxman, is painful to hear. He speaks poorly, provides zero insights, and has a voice that makes a sixer sound like a boring thingy

    Anil Thakraney: VVS: Very Very Sad

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    It’s now a given; the moment a cricketer retires, by default he walks into the commentary box. When, ideally, his first priority ought to be coaching young teams and/or joining/starting a sports academy. This is because commentating is far more lucrative, and it carries zero responsibilities and headaches. I am quite certain Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sachin Tendulkar has already begun work on his diction.

     

    But this instant migration from the pitch to the box isn’t easy, and most of the cricketers struggle very badly, at the cost of the viewers. The latest entrant, VVS Laxman, is painful to hear. He speaks poorly, provides zero insights, and has a voice that makes a sixer sound like a boring thingy. Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has been tormenting us with his clichés for years, and the less said about motor mouth Sidhu the better. Sanjay Manjrekar communicates like a novice, and Ravi Shastri has been hired purely to generate senseless hysteria. Sunil Gavaskar and Saurav Ganguly are the notable exceptions, the saving grace. I am also reminded of Lala Amarnath from back in the seventies. He used to come up with sharp observations; we would, as kids, eagerly await his gems at the end of each match day.

     

    And of course, Imran Khan, the late Tony Grieg, Richie Benaud and Ian Chappell have always been a delight to listen to. What this tells you is that having been a cricketer may help to commentate better, but it does not necessarily make you an interesting communicator. Either you have the gift of the gab or you don’t. Therefore, the sports networks have to exercise quality control, they simply can’t hire every cricketer who calls it a day. And I haven’t even begun speaking about the nonsense that goes on inside the Hindi commentary box. These days I mostly watch the Indian cricket telecast minus the sound.

     

    Just as a good movie director won’t necessarily make a good film critic, just as a great painter won’t necessarily become a reliable curator, just as a kickass CEO won’t necessarily be a good dad, the same theory applies to sports commentary. I am quite certain there is enough talent out there for cricket commentary (after all, this nation is flushed with ‘experts’), and all that the television networks have to do is to find them. It’s their laziness to conduct this search that has ended up saddling us viewers with rank bad commentators.

     

    Get some fresh blood in the box, dear Sony Max, ESPN/Star Sports, Neo, etc. In fact, the IPL is a good place to start, unless you’ve already signed up Sidhu, VVS and Sivaramakrishnan. In which case it’s now left to the sexy cheerleaders to save the day.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Nice IKEA commercial. Notice how the inter-play of need for storage room and need for room in relationships lifts an otherwise ordinary promise: Total furniture solutions. Wonderful!

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWJImv6ci9I[/youtube]