Ads bygone...

The supersonic speed at which everything around me is changing leaves me confused, lost and perplexed. And when it comes to the sleek advertisements that ruin every programme aired on television by butting in when you don’t wish to be interrupted, place two of them together before me and I am in a chicken and egg situation – I cannot remember which one is ‘in’ and which one is ‘history’! Nowadays, the commercials on the television (or rather, the ‘tube’ for the sassy youngsters!) are made by hi-tech advertising agencies and companies spend fortunes to get their act right. Maybe they are too perfect, or it is just that like my grandmother all things during ‘our times’ were far superior to what we have today.

But this fossilized specimen of humanity is not all of a doodah as far as the advertisements from her childhood and adolescence are concerned. Sample these as proofs to my claim!

1.      Dabur Lal Dantmanjan: Long before flossing, brushing, orthodontic surgery and the jargon became the secret of a dazzling smile, it was the lean ‘Masterji’ with tobacco-stained teeth who asked Raju the secret of his pearly white teeth (“राजू, तुम्हारे दाँत तो मोतिओ जैसे चमक रहे हैं”). Though I do not boast of the perfect pearls, let me tell you that I still rub the red, brick-powder like formula on my teeth religiously after brushing my teeth every night.

2.      Hamara Bajaj: The ‘Hamara Bajaj’ ad was able to capture the joy ride of a quintessential Indian middle class family to its finest details; the father driving the scooter with utmost concentration negotiating the traffic and also doing the ‘great indian balancing trick’ on the scooter along with three other members of his family. The younger kid would be standing on the front with the mother clad in a sari sitting on one side of the scooter clinging on to the Stepney tyre while the elder kid would be sandwiched between the father and mother. Thus the idea was beautifully conveyed that Bajaj is an integral part of the family and also stood as a symbol of the unity in the Indian families.

3.      A gift for someone you love: It was an era when we were ignorant of the FDA’s classification of unsweetened, bittersweet, semisweet, sweet, milk, and white chocolates. Chocolates were a luxury, and nothing gave more pleasure than Amul chocolates. I especially remember the one that came in a dark green pack, which has a bitter-sweet taste – just like life. And though the pigtails now show a few strands of grey, I feel that I am still just right for Amul chocolates!

4.      Vicco turmeric, nahi cosmetic: There were no age defying potions, no youth elixirs..A beaming and glowing Sangeeta Bijlani told us that the cream worked wonders. And Vicco Turmeric’s advertisement at primetime, telecast before the popular comedy show “Yeh jo hain zindagi”, stayed in the viewers’ memory for long. And Bijlani, cast as a demure bride-to-be made such an impression that when she finally took the plunge in the film industry, she was easily the most recognisable newcomer. All the viewers recognised her as that fair girl with shapely legs.

5.      Surf and Lalitaji: Thanks to the maverick genius Alyque Padamsee, Lalitaji, the no-nonsense, smart, independent, prudent homemaker who was conscious of her budget and yet, uncompromising with the quality of products that she buys, entered into our lives. She arrived at a time when the Indian audience was learning the difference between the ‘cheap’ and the ‘good’ (सस्ती चीज़ और अच्छी चीज़). It is an undeniable fact that Surf became a seasoned player only because of Lalitaji, and with its creative partners unspooling iconic campaign after campaign, it is perhaps the only detergent brand to have the guts to have actually gone ahead to say that stains are good (दाग अच्छे हैं)! Therefore, no matter what others use, I use only Surf !!

6.      Humdard ka tonic Cinkara: This is vintage Javed Jaffery. Jaffrey is overloaded with work. And just as he is about to think the pile on his desk cannot get any bigger, the secretary hands him some more papers…(यह बेचारा काम के बोझका मारा....इन्हे चाहिए हमदर्द का टॉनिक Cinkara). He drinks it, and in the next scene, breaks through glass and hands in his reports with a flourish. Tell me, after having this tonic, who needs protein supplements and multivitamin capsules?

7.       Ceema bulbs and tubes: A shimmering Sridevi seductively urging us to buy Ceema bulbs and tubes....I am sure that this is an avatar which Sridevi would not like to remember!

8.      Lijjat Pappad: Featuring two huge rabbits munching pappads…(लीज़्ज़त पापद…कर्रम कुर्रम…कुर्रम कर्रम…मज़ेदारलीज़्ज़तदार…स्वाद स्वाद में लीज़्ज़त पापद…हेहेहेहे ….श्री महिला गृह उद्योग का लीज़्ज़त पापद). I still love them, and so do my kids.

9.      Jai soap: Remember the cute chocolate hero who is mesmerized by the girl who bathes with Jai soap? (नया Jaiसौंदर्या साबुन - पल पल महके ऐसे..., पहला प्यार हो जैसे..). Just imagine – a soap reminding you of your first love and NOT any conventional stuff like song, chocolate, etc.

10.  Liril Soap: How can anyone of our generation forget this commercial? The Pambar Falls in Kodaikanal where this ad was shot subsequently became famous as the ‘Liril Falls’. Former Air India air-hostess Karen Lunel appeared a green two-piece bikini for Liril, and till date the “la la la la la” jingle is the favourite “bathing song” below the shower in millions of bathrooms in India. An interesting fact that I realized just now, as I type this write-up, even though I have been using Liril soap forever – the name of the soap is a palindrome!!

11.  Wolfarm Ketchup: I wonder how many of us remember this one. I bet that all of you must still be remembering the Karamchand-Javed Jaffrey ad for Maggi Hot and Sweet Ketchup. Wolfarm Ketchup ad went something like this, “थोड़ाकेत्च्चप ट्राइ करो”, केत्च्चप होता कद्दू भरा”, “इसमे कद्दू नहीं ज़रा”.

12.  Deluxe Nirodh Condoms: This ad gave the much appreciated pun to the song from Shree 420,  “प्यार हुआ इकरारहुआ हैं प्यार से फिर क्यूँ डरता हैं दिल”. With this ad, a new word was added to my vocabulary – condom!

There were many others, the punch lines of which still remain fresh in my memory (“One black coffee please”, “tumhari twacha se to tumhari umr ka pata hi nahi chalta!”, “kyunki har ghar kuch kehta hai”, “chai pee rahi hai ya zahar ka pyaala”, “sunday ho ya monday, roz khao ande”, “doodh doodh doodh doodh peeyo glassful doodh”). I was wondering if they still make simple yet appealing commercials like these anymore. No doubt, the advertisements nowadays are more accurate, crisper, more visually appealing and more logical. But something seems to be amiss – just like the difference between a paperback and the Kindle. And then, today, when I was watching (or rather, snoozing over) a god-knows-what cartoon with my kids, I was suddenly awakened by the lovely ad for Paper-Boat Amras – reminding me of R.K. Narayan’s Swami as the tune ‘tananananana’ played in the backdrop of the ad.

I was blissfully reassured – no matter what, the everlasting feeling of television commercials will always remain. Amen!!