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Tag: Ranbir Kapoor

  • Conceptualised by Ogilvy India, the ad is directed by Prasoon Pandey

    Asian Paints launches new campaign with Ranbir Kapoor

    By A Correspondent

     

    Asian Paints has launched a campaign to establish Ultima Protek as the gold standard in protection for the exteriors of every home. Conceptualised by Ogilvy India, the ad is directed by Prasoon Pandey. The film portrays Ranbir Kapoor as an aspiring politician.

     

    Speaking about the new ad, Amit Syngle, COO, Asian Paints Limited said: “The consumer of today is showing more involvement in the painting process and is clearly looking for products offering unique solutions. Asian Paints Ultima has been at the forefront of technology led innovation. Ultima Protek, with its Lamination Guard and 10-year performance warranty, is the Gold standard of exterior paints today. Consumer research on exterior painting threw up a powerful mnemonic – ‘Lamination’, a term that they interpreted to imply strong protection from multiple elements – water, dust and time itself. In this new film with Ranbir Kapoor, this ‘lamination led protection’ is juxtaposed with a topic that evokes a passionate interest among Indian consumers – politics.”

     

    Added Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy Mumbai: “The film is a humorous take based on the life of a politician, whose life is full of ups and downs. And how the protection given to his house by Asian Paints Ultima Protek, gives the politician the confidence to just keep going on. No matter what.”

     

     

  • L&K Saatchi & Saatchi has conceptualised the new integrated campaign

    Renault promotes new features on Kwid in new ad

    By A Correspondent

     

    Renault has launched its new feature-loaded Kwid that comes with first-in-class features like reverse parking camera, rear armrest and rear 12 V socket.

     

    To communicate the car’s capability and new features, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi has conceptualised a new integrated campaign. This will be rolled out across TV, radio, print and digital media. A digital film starring brand ambassador, Ranbir Kapoor surprising Kwid customers has been released across various social media platforms.

     

    Speaking about the communication, Virat Khullar, Marketing Head- Renault India, said: “Renault Kwid stands for ‘live for more’. It has always delivered more features than the competition. In 3 years we have grown strongly with more than 2.5 lakh happy customers across India. This campaign uses SUV imagery to bring alive the strengths of this big small car.”

     

    Added Charles Victor, Executive Director, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi: “Young Indians are increasingly doing short drive holidays and self-driven/planned trips making the SUV-inspired Renault Kwida perfect match for this growing lifestyle. We married this ready-to-explore-the-world attitude with the new KWID and the result was this charming piece of communication.”

     

     

  • Where’s the media that ran Padmavati Times, asks Shailesh Kapoor

    A healthy debate on Sanju, any one?

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    It’s been a week since Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju released, and it’s already on its way to becoming one of the biggest hits in Hindi cinema history, with even an outside chance of crossing Dangal’s box office collections to become the industry’s highest grosser in the domestic market so far.

     

    That the audiences have lapped up the film is an understatement. The film’s idea, of getting a contemporary actor to play a major star, who’s still actively working, in the latter’s biopic, was a tricky one. But from the time the first visuals from the film came out, it was apparent that Hirani has managed to hit the bull’s eye on one of the most crucial aspects of the film – Ranbir Kapoor’s uncanny resemblance to Sanjay Dutt, across all his looks.

     

    The rather gimmicky campaign, which focused almost entirely on this look (and voice) match aspect, clicked across the country, and the film opened to record collections last Friday. But films need more than just a good opening if they have to be record-breakers. And Sanju managed that over the course of its first week, clocking 200 Cr in India, and is setto add another 100-150, if not 200.

     

    But while the audiences have taken very well to the film, it’s not been all well for Sanju when it comes to the general media. Some very respected senior journalists covering politics and crime over the years have taken extreme objections to the film’s hagiographical second half, which they see as an evident attempt to “whitewash” Sanjay Dutt’s image of a notorious criminal.Only a few film journalists have concurred with this “irresponsible” act on the part of Hirani, who thus far has enjoyed a non-controversial, squeaky-clean image.

     

    It’s only fair that there should be a debate on the two polarized views on the film. After all, the film deals with an aspect of Dutt’s life that involved an act of terrorism on the nation. It’s not one of those inane Padmaavat type of issues, where the only reason to stoke up a debate was to gain political mileage. There are a lot of people who have watched the film and probably don’t have any awareness that a counter-argument exists in the first place. They deserve to know what a section of the nation, however small, thinks.

     

    Yet, the mainstream media has chosen to ignore Sanju. News channels that spent hours and hours in the prime-time discussing Karni Sena and Padmaavat (then Padmavati) pretend that Sanju doesn’t exist, and if it does, it’s only a film after all. The coverage on the dissent, if one can call it that, is limited to the Internet, on select English websites, and an elitesection of the social media. That’s where it may end too.

     

    I, for one, will like to watch some meaningful debates (they are tough to come by these days) where the two sides express their perspectives and bring more facts to the table. But because neither BJP nor the “united” opposition seem interested, we will continue to see debates on PFI and JNU instead.

     

    Popular culture is one of the most effective tools to build a social discourse on issues of national importance. More than three crore people who will watch Sanju in the theatre, plus crores of others who will watch it via other media over the next year, don’t care much about facts vs. fiction. They would seek their entertainment from the film, and going by what we have seen so far, they will be mightily satisfied.But by turning a blind eye to the film, the mainstream media would have lost an opportunity to engage with its audiences on a relevant and popular topic of current interest.

     

    The conclusion is rather simplistic: If a piece of news does not have direct political importance (read impact on 2019 elections), the media in the country will not care too much about it.

     

     

  • Actor Ranbir Kapoor revels in entertaining campaign featuring Bollywood music classics

    Yatra launches new TVC, focuses on eCash and airfare-drop protection

    By A Correspondent

     

    Online travel portal Yatra.com has launched its new series of advertisement commercials featuring its brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor.

     

    Commenting on the new TVC series that are conceptualised by Ogilvy, Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C), Yatra.com, said: “We are focused on innovating in terms of customer features and benefits, and this set of ads highlight two such industry first features –eCash loyalty points and the airfare-drop protection. With these films we are looking to attract new users to our fold, while retaining the connection with our existing customer base. The ads capture the best of Bollywood – entertaining, yet with a key consumer message, and hopefully will strike a chord with the audience.”

     

    Added Dhruv Mookerji, Creative, Ogilvy & Mather, Kolkata: “Bollywood has left a lasting impression on the cultural psyche of the nation. And with RanbirKapoor as the brand ambassador of Yatra, it seemed a perfect fit to merge the unique positioning of Yatra with the great musical legacy of the Kapoorkhandan.”

     

     

  • The new TVC features the company’s high-end range of 4K television series, designed to deliver picture quality and sound

    Panasonic launches new TVC with Ranbir

    By A Correspondent

     

    Panasonic India has launched its new TVC for its 2017 line-up of 4K Ultra HD TVs along with the UA7 sound system, featuring brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor.

     

    Commenting on the new TVC, Sarthak Seth, Head – Brand & Marketing Communications, Panasonic India, said: “Rejoicing 99 years, we are constantly developing and providing productsto become a trusted partner of our customers. With festive season on a high, we are happy to launch our new campaign with Ranbir Kapoor, to boost the sales of our popular TV range. The commercial perfectly captures how the Shinobi Ultra range is designed to deliver picture quality and sound, delivering Greatest Cinematic Experience. With this campaign, we aim to build connect with our consumers and highlight our range equipped with superior Japanese technology.”

     

    According to creative agency Publicis Capital: “Panasonic as a brand always believed in offering the best to its consumers. This year with their launch of 4K TVs, they have strengthen the belief further. The latest communication announces the launch of Shinobi Ultra 4K TV series, the story revolves around the best 4K experience and captures the key features that takes the TV viewing experience to next level.”

     

  • The campaign features Brand Ambassador Ranbir Kapoor

    Yatra.com turns ‘India ka travel planner’ in new ad

    By A Correspondent

     

    Online travel platform  Yatra.com has unveiled its latest advertising campaign featuring the new brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C), Yatra.com, said: “Yatra provides an enriched travel experience, making it the perfect travel planner for every Indian consumer. With the launch of the new brand identity and the recent appointment of Ranbir as our brand ambassador, the idea is to create a brand connect with the new age Indian traveller and position Yatra as a versatile platform that has something to offer to everyone. Communicating the idea that we are ‘India ka travel planner’ is what the new campaign reflects. ”

     

    The film, crafted by Ogilvy & Mather, will use digital and television as the lead mediums.

     

     

  • Known for portraying versatile and youthful roles on screen, Ranbir Kapoor is a perfect fit for the brand

    Ranbir is Yatra’s brand ambassador

    By A Correspondent

     

    Yatra.com has announced Bollywood superstar and youth icon Ranbir Kapoor as its brand ambassador. Speaking on the association, Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C), Yatra.com, said: “Today Yatra is an evolved and contemporary travel marketplace which stands apart for the richness of its product & services. Ranbir’s persona is in line with these qualities, and he also brings with him a sense of casual coolness that today’s youth relates to. We welcome him to the Yatra family and hope that with this association we are able to create a strong impact in the minds of our audiences and customers at large.”

     

    Commenting on the occasion, Vikrant Mudaliar, Chief Marketing Officer, Yatra.com, said: “With Ranbir Kapoor coming on-board, we are confident of strengthening Yatra’s brand appeal and recall amongst our customers. Ranbir appeals to all age groups and demographics across the board and we are excited about using him in our marketing communication.”

     

  • The campaign will see Ranbir Kapoor in humorous, playful situations that will give consumers a reason to go out of character for the love of Lay's

    Lays leans on ‘Love to love it’ in new campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Lays has unveiled a new campaign that celebrates the love for the great taste of Lay’s in a way that is edgy, humorous and will appeal to the Indian youth.

     

    The campaign idea for ‘Love to Love it’ is based on a simple but powerful snacking insight, that a delicious snack like Lay’s is tempting enough to trigger change in people’s demeanour, even if it be for a moment. It can make people act in uncharacteristic ways in order to get to their hands on a pack of Lay’s.The campaignunfolds through a series of exciting films featuringbrand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor,essaying offbeatandnever seen before characters. The campaignwill see Ranbir Kapoor in humorous, playful situations that will give consumers a reason to go out of character for the love of Lay’s.

     

    According to Partho Chakrabarti, Vice President, Snacks Category, PepsiCo India, “Our new campaign has been built on the insight of the basic human truth of how on seeing something tempting, one can do whatever necessary to get it; even if it means acting out of character. The campaign has been woven around the great taste of Lay’s, which triggers an intense urge in people to get the pack.The campaign highlights the fact that you just can’t help loving the great taste of Lay’s & hence the tagline ‘Love to Love It’.”

     

    Speaking about the creative thought behind the ad films, Babita Baruah, Senior Vice President and Head, PO1 Unit, J. Walter Thompson- Delhi said,“Love to love it is based on a simple truth. That you can’t help loving the great taste of Lay’s. The creative idea is about how you can go to any length to get your Lay’s. The films are a humorous take on the proposition, with Ranbir Kapoor in unexpected roles. There is an integrated campaign being developed on this idea.”

     

  • Does endorsement from multiple celebrities at the same time help a brand? Like how TAG Heuer has roped in Ranbir Kapoor in addition to Shah Rukh Khan

    Two better than One?

     

    By Ishani Duttagupta

     

    Recently, Swiss luxury watch brand TAG Heuer roped in Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor as its brand ambassador. Nothing unusual about that, considering Ranbir endorses major brands such as Panasonic and Nissan; and TAG is known for opting for the best of Hollywood and Bollywood to back its label. To be sure, the brand has had stars from Steve McQueen and Uma Thurman to Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.

     

    Except that never has more than one film celebrity endorsed TAG at the same time. Currently, Cameron Diaz is the only actor on the brand’s endorsement list – the rest are largely sportspersons, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Maria Sharapova. TAG annually changes its ambassadors, replacing older ones with fresher faces. For example, before Diaz came on board in 2012, Leonardo DiCaprio was the Hollywood face of TAG.

     

    In Different Zone

    India, though, may be an aberration – at least as things stand now – with two Bollywood superstars promoting the Swiss luxury label. Along with the 32-year-old Ranbir, there’s also Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), now 49, who has been TAG’s ambassador since 2003. The obvious question then: is the brand ambassadors’ version of succession planning playing out at TAG in India? After all, it has happened in other categories; around five years back, Pepsi ended its decade-long associations with the likes of SRK and Sachin Tendulkar to bring on younger ambassadors. And, guess who led that youth brigade? Ranbir Kapoor!

     

    TAG Heuer, for its part, denies that it is going down the same road. “Bringing the two biggest stars of Bollywood together is not just the first for our segment, it’s also a first for us globally. As a company, it’s in our DNA to break the rules and we wanted to bring together both the biggest names in Bollywood today – SRK and Ranbir Kapoor – to communicate our leadership,” explains Puneet Sewra, marketing director, TAG Heuer.

     

    Mr Sewra adds that there are no plans to replace SRK, who has been a TAG brand ambassador for over a decade, with Ranbir, currently the hottest young gun of Bollywood. “Ranbir is not replacing SRK, and there’s no clash between the two. Through Ranbir Kapoor, we are reaching out to young consumers in the 18-25 age bracket; in many ways both our brand ambassadors represent the same kind of values in their Bollywood career, of doing things differently and both have played anti-hero roles. It’s about what differentiates the two of them and not about their age.”

     

    He also points out that the fact that India is the only country with two brand ambassadors from the film world points to the confidence TAG has in the Indian market. Brand gurus, however, are not as convinced, and find it difficult to concede that age has nothing to do with the brand appeal of a celebrity – even if the person in question is SRK.

     

    “There are indeed very subliminal but robust ways of putting succession planning into place in the brand-endorsement space and it’s a great thing to do really. In cases where the current brand ambassador was losing sheen in his/her space of work, be it cinema or cricket or whatever, a second and third face become a way of gradual succession planning,” brand consultant Harish Bijoor said.

     

    Happy Coexisting

    And how does the new ambassador on the block himself see the situation? “I have grown up watching Mr Shah Rukh Khan’s movies and his work has always inspired me. He was part of the TAG campaign for many years and it was so cool for me to wear a watch that he wears; and now to wear it with him is a dream come true,” Ranbir Kapoor told ET Magazine in an exclusive interview while launching the brand’s new campaign ‘Don’t Crack Under Pressure’.

     

    Ranbir adds that he is careful when choosing brands to associate with and has often rejected offers. “Like my movies, my brands are my identity and people start identifying me with them. I will only become the face of those products that I use and love in my own life. It’s important because the companies are talking to their target audience through me and I have to be sensitive to them.”

     

    Though TAG Heuer currently doesn’t have any plans of featuring both its brand ambassadors together in any of its promos, Ranbir says he would love to be in the same frame with SRK. “It would be a dream come true – to do something with both TAG Heuer and Mr Khan. In fact, to work together in any capacity with him would be a dream come true.” What’s clear is that today SRK and Ranbir are pretty much at the top of the heap in terms of star value. US consultancy American Appraisal, which recently conducted India’s first celebrity brand valuation study, found that amongst Bollywood stars only SRK and Ranbir have valuations north of $100 million.

     

    “While our analysis has not assessed the impact of celebrity endorsements on the brands they endorse, there is no doubt that a significant amount of associative credibility can be derived from having a top ranked celebrity brand ambassador. Both SRK and Ranbir Kapoor emerged as the two largest celebrity brands in our study and having them both as endorsers can only be a huge positive,” said Kapil Bellubi, vice-president, American Appraisal.

     

    American Appraisal’s assessment, which is based on the current rankings of celebrities (from a standpoint of popularity, credibility and endorsability, average endorsement fee rates, current number of annual endorsements and an applicable brand multiple), ranked SRK at No. 1 with a brand value of $164.9 million or Rs 1,011 crore; Ranbir Kapoor followed at $129.4 million or Rs 793 crore.

     

    Brand Appeal

    The study also found that the age of a celebrity plays a part in their potential to continue to endorse brands in future. “The exception though is SRK whose appeal across several age groups remains reasonably strong. Based on our study and research, the top two celebrities in India currently generate average annual endorsement fees ranging from `12 crore to Rs 17 crore per endorsement,” adds Mr Bellubi.

     

    Two ambassadors work as an effective hedge against risks of many hues, ageing being just one of them. “Gone will be the halcyon days of the solus brand ambassador. Brands will progressively use more than one face. Your brand ambassador is human after all,” Mr Bijoor explains.

     

    TAG Heuer, of course, is not the only brand using more than one celebrity as brand ambassador in India. French cosmetics group L’Oréal Paris has four celeb brand ambassadors in India: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Freida Pinto and most recently Katrina Kaif.

     

    “Our ambassadors in India are distinguished personalities in their own right and are well known across the country. Aishwarya is synonymous with L’Oréal Paris, and this is because she has been with us for more than 10 years,” says Manashi Guha, general manager, L’Oréal Paris, India.

     

    Garnier India, a cosmetics brand from the L’Oreal stable, too follows the policy of multiple Bollywood celebrities with different age profiles as brand endorsers and has Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, John Abraham and Sushant Singh Rajput on board. The difference, though, is that each star endorses a different sub-brand. So if Deepika is the face for BB Cream and Fair Miracle, Alia Bhatt promotes Pure Active Neem Facewash and Fructis Triple Nutrition.

     

    Similarly, John Abraham endorses the Men Powerlight range and Sushant Singh Men Acnofight range. “Each of the sub-brands within the Garnier portfolio delivers a unique proposition to its consumers, and therefore is associated with a brand ambassador who best espouses the benefits associated with each product,” explains Rupika Raman, general manager, Garnier India.

     

    Regional Focus

    Emami, a Kolkata-based marketer of cosmetics and health products, too follows a policy of having multiple celebrity actors as brand endorsers. But that is probably more to do with cutting across geographies and demographics rather than succession planning. “By leveraging a celebrity’s regional appeal, we have more than one brand ambassador for some of our products where communication remains the same but only the celeb changes, explains says Harsha V Agarwal, director, Emami.

     

    For instance, southern superstar Jr NTR endorses Navratna Cool Oil in Andhra Pradesh, even as Amitabh Bachchan and SRK promote it nationally. Clearly, for some superstars, as long as they keep effectively planning their success, there’s little need to plan their successor.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2014, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Bollywood A-listers Shah Rukh Khan & Ranbir Kapoor emerged as the only two Indian celebs with more than $100-million valuation in perhaps the first ever celebrity brand valuation study in India

    SRK, Ranbir only celebs in $100 mn Club

     

    By Ratna Bhushan

     

    Bollywood A-listers Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor emerged the only two celebrities in the country with more than $100-million valuation in perhaps the first ever celebrity brand valuation study in India.

     

    Cricketers MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli took the next two positions, though well below Khan and Kapoor, according to valuation done by US consultancy firm American Appraisal. The total value of the Top 15 celebrity brands in India is over $820 million, or about Rs 5,025 crore, said the study that calculated celebrities’ brand valuation based on the individual’s reputation, credibility and ability to generate income from endorsements, as well as the adjusted average annual endorsement revenue they earned after deducting relevant costs including taxes. The top 15 celebrities in 2013-14 generated over Rs 1,100 crore in endorsement fees, which accounted for close to 50% of their annual income, the report said.

     

    “We found that brand value changed dramatically based on performance and delivery in the celebrity’s area of core competence. A string of failures impacts celebrity value very rapidly,” American Appraisal India managing director Varun Gupta said. This means that Dhoni’s lean patch on the cricket field may have taken a toll on his brand valuation.

     

    The Indian cricket captain’s brand valuation at $72 million, or Rs 441 crore, is less than half of table topper Shah Rukh Khan’s. Riding on more than 10 top-notch endorsements including Hyundai, Nerolac Paints and Royal Stag, SRK has a brand valuation of $165 million, or a little over Rs 1,000 crore.

     

    Founded back in 1896 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, American Appraisal specialises in valuation. The company entered India six years ago and did a brand valuation of the Indian Premier League, or IPL, this year.

     

    Only three women – actresses Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor – figure in the top 10 list of the American Appraisal report, which said the average endorsement fee for a oneyear contract for female A-listers at about Rs 5.5 crore is almost half of their male counterparts’ Rs 10.5-crore average annual fee. Top cricketers on an average get approximately Rs 8 crore as endorsementfee.

     

    “This remains a very male-driven industry and actors get paid significantly more,” said Anirban Das Blah, founder of talent management firm Kwan, which represents Ranbir Kapoor. “This is something we are not comfortable with. Hopefully things will change,” he added.

     

    Times Celebex, a monthly rating index of Bollywood stars based on box-office performance, endorsements and popularity on social media, among other parameters, ranked Salman Khan at the top for the month of September, followed by Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone in that order.

     

    Salman Khan anchors popular reality television showBigg Boss and endorses seven highly advertised brands. In American Appraisal’s report, cricketer Virat Kohli has bettered superstars such as Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and even Amitabh Bachchan.

     

    But only three sportsmen – all cricketers-made it to the Top 15 league, while globally big sports stars like David Beckham, Lionel Messi and Roger Federer rule the endorsements space ahead of big Hollywood stars.“Movie stars are probably a more stable source of celebrity value, with higher longevity,” Gupta said.

     

    Analysts said Indian celebrities have yet to catch up with their western counterparts.  “Most global celebrities have ownership of scalable brands – whether it’s Beckham or Messi or Angelina Jolie. Here, we are still evolving and hopefully will get there soon,” said Afsar Zaidi, chief executive officer at talent management firm Carving Dreams, which represents actor Hrithik Roshan.

     

    Mr Zaidi said at least two brands created by celebrities – HRX apparel by Hrithik Roshan and Salman Khan’s Being Human-had global scale potential.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2014, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Ranbir will endorse Lenovo's range of smartphones and will feature in various television and online commercials for the brand in India

    After endorsing Tabs, Ranbir extends Lenovo association to smartphones

    By a correspondent

     

    Lenovo has announced its association with Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor as the brand ambassador for smartphones in India. As part of this association, Ranbir will endorse Lenovo’s range of smartphones and will feature in various television and online commercials for the brand in India. In Lenovo’s earlier association with Ranbir, he was endorsing both PCs and Tablets and will continue endorsing Tablets in this partnership too.

     

    Sudhin Mathur, Director-Smartphones, Lenovo India said, “Ranbir Kapoor is a multi-talented and popular actor, who is admired across the nation. We are delighted to be associated with him, as he is an extremely versatile, endearing and stylish performer just like our range of Lenovo smartphones. We believe that this partnership will expand our reach into the consumer space and enhance the preference for Lenovo smartphones in India.”

     

    The stylish range of smartphones comprise, industry-leading devices suiting every need of the user right from the best camera experience to extra long battery life. Bundled with powerful multi-core processors, access to the latest apps through Android™, and peerless display technology, Lenovo smartphones are poised to enhance a user’s experience.

     

    Lenovo will soon launch a series of TV and online commercials featuring Ranbir Kapoor.

     

  • Barfi!'s pages are screaming with links on plagiarism stories and articles. There is no way the jurors will vote for a copycat flick, even if it's an excellent piece of work. Barfi!'s chances are as good as finished. They may as well withdraw the entry

    Anil Thakraney: Barfi! is jacked!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    There’s a heated debate going on in the media on the issue of the film Barfi! being sent as India’s entry for the Oscar awards. I haven’t watched the film yet (though must say the Twitter reviews have been quite flattering). So am in no position to comment on the merits of the film. Perhaps it deserved to be chosen.

     

    However, soon after the entry was sent to LA, knives, cutters and blades are out to kill the film’s chances. Deadly accusations of plagiarism are being flung around, it’s alleged that the director Anurag Basu has lifted many scenes from international cinema, in fact, they say he’s literally copied them. I don’t think Indian film journalists are behind these accusations, most of them don’t have the skill or knowledge to run such an expose. Clearly, these are Basu’s rivals at work, or directors of films that didn’t get chosen for an Oscar entry.

     

    All very fine, and rats do need to be brought out from under the red carpet. The problem is this: Oscar awards’ jurors aren’t a bunch of jokers (unlike the Indian cricket team selectors!), and once they have appreciated a foreign film, they will most likely Google it for reviews and other inputs. So that they make an informed decision. And Barfi!’s pages are screaming with links on plagiarism stories and articles. There is no way the jurors will vote for a copycat flick, even if it’s an excellent piece of work. Barfi!’s chances are as good as finished. They may as well withdraw the entry.

     

    What saddens me about this incident is the crab mentality that Indian creative people suffer from. Even for ad awards there have been constant accusations of rival creative directors deliberating sabotaging campaigns. That sick attitude of: ‘Main nahin jeeta, ab iski maaroonga.’

     

    I really don’t know when we’ll learn to be confident of our own work, and applaud those to do better work. The correct thing would have been to screw Barfi! and its maker AFTER the Oscar awards is done. So that an Indian film is allowed a shot at scoring a prize.

     

    Alas, it was not to be. We will win nothing at the Academy awards. Yet again.

     

    ***

     

    PS: While on the subject of cheating, here’s another one. Ad film directors often cheat while shooting to generate a dramatic effect. That’s quite usual, and no one bats an eyelid. But when the cheating is done to directly enhance a promise that the brand makes in the ad, then we go into the area of fraud. Here’s an alert soul who’s busted Nokia. This example is a warning for all advertisers and their ad agencies to operate within the ethical zone.

     

    Link: http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/5/3294545/nokias-pureview-ads-are-fraudulent