• Home
• /
• Entertainment

RAJASTHAN, AN AD MAN’S CANVAS

wants,” says Prasoon Joshi of McCann Eriksson, who recently did the famous Coca Cola a featuring Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, the Athens Olympics silver medallist.

Joshi says the main attraction of Rajasthan is its diverse and well-preserved cultural heritage. The other places have the same common element throughout but with Rajasthan it is a different story.

“Every 50 kilometres entire spectrum changes. The architecture, costumes, landscape, dance and music, cuisines and even deities change,” says the regional creative head of the McCann Eriksson. “Rajasthan gives the feel of the great Indian past.”

This is the reason why commercials ranging from credit cards to cars and from chewing gum to Coca Cola have been shot in Rajasthan. According to industry sources, more than 50 commercials are shot in the desert every year.

According to Suhel Seth, Chief Executive of the Equus, with competition among the ad agencies becoming cut throat, more and more ad filmmakers are focusing on Rajasthan as it has the most abundant array of settings in the country. That’s in terms of colour, vibrancy and the people.

For Piyush Pandey, the czar of Indian the advertising world, the rawness and colour aspect of Rajasthan appeal most to an ad filmmaker.

The latest Visa ad featuring Hollywood star Richard Gere shot at Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort captures the essence of Rajasthan.

An ad filmmaker says the commercial has become an instant hit with TV viewers because it brings alive every vibrant aspect of Rajasthani culture.

A traditional Rajasthani market place, full of people in colourful and traditional costumes and turbans and the grand Mehrangarh Fort in the background makes it world of this world ad.

The industry sources say some of the mega budget commercials have been made in Rajasthan like Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan’s Coca Cola ad or rival Pepsi’s ad featuring Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and the Big B Amitabh Bachchan, which also shot at the Mehrangarh Fort or the famous Samsung commercial in which nearly entire Indian cricket team too part.

The other famous commercials shot in Rajasthan are: The award-winning Fevicol ad that shows people stuck to the roof of a bus. The Asian Paints Mera Walla Blue ad. Siyaram Suitings’ ‘Coming Home to Siyaram’ featuring tennis legend Boris Becker and beauty queen and actor Diya Mirza. The commercial was one of the most expensive ad films shot in the state. Dabur’s Lal Daant Manjan (tooth powder) ad with Indian Test opener Virender Sehwag.

India’s tennis teenage sensation Sania Mirza’s latest tea commercial.

The famous Chlormint Ice advertisement. Nokia 1100 ad with actor Rajpal Yadav. The famous French perfume named ‘Jaipur’. Cigarette Company Godfrey Philips’ upmarket brand called ‘Jaisalmer’ and the Chevrolet ad.