Indian ad-makers struggle with rising conservative, right-wing protests

India's cricket team coach Rahul Dravid and actress Alia Bhatt in TV advertisements that have offended some viewers. PHOTOS: YOUTUBE

BANGALORE - A cricket star losing his cool in a traffic jam, a Bollywood actress calling for women to be respected, and a Muslim mother-in-law caring for her pregnant Hindu daughter-in-law.

These fictional depictions in TV advertisements have one thing in common - they have offended some viewers in India amid rising intolerance over a wide range of issues.

Advertising creatives said that beyond balancing client briefs and artistic freedom, they now have to be cautious of backlash against progressive concepts.

"Religious, political and caste themes are always risky, but today people are opposing just about anything," said Mumbai-based Ms Priti Nair, founder of advertising agency Curry Nation.

Creatives noted that it is now harder to make progressive ads compared with a decade ago, because the polarised atmosphere has spooked brands.

Between 2019 and 2021, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a self-regulatory body, received 1,759 complaints against 488 ads.

A January report by ASCI listed six reasons why Indians objected to an ad: when it challenges traditions, mocks men, offends religious sentiment, reinforces socially undesirable depictions for commercial gains - such as glorifying fair skin or objectifying bodies - depicts children in an undesirable manner, or shows anything unpleasant like death.

The report cited one complaint against an ad for fintech company Cred that features India's cricket team coach Rahul Dravid battling the traffic snarls in his home town Bangalore and raging behind the wheel.

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The complainant said showing the unflappable cricketer lose his legendary cool promoted vandalism.

"It's already hard to convince clients to do funny content, but now they're all scared of backlash," said film-maker Ayappa K.M, who directed the ad and other similar ones for Cred that deglamorise celebrities like actress Madhuri Dixit, cricketer Kapil Dev, as well as javelin thrower and Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra.

Objections to religious content were many. The ASCI report said: "Complainants believe that certain advertisements are part of a conspiracy against their religion. They operate like search engines that scan ads to identify elements that are associated with their religion and have the potential to be contentious."

Last September, opinions were divided over ethnic wear brand Manyavar's ad that showed actress Alia Bhatt, dressed as a bride, challenging the Hindu wedding ritual of "kanyadaan", where the bride is given away to the groom's family.

"Why kanyadaan (donate the girl)? Why not kanyamaan (respect the girl)?" Ms Bhatt asked in the ad.

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Even as many called the ad "an eye-opener" on gender equality, other Twitter users called it "disgusting". Twitter user @ProfVemsani tweeted with the hashtag #Hinduphobia, saying the ad misrepresented Hindu practices and was "subtly isolating Hindus".

In an industry with tight creative reins, these incidents were "further limiting free, liberal thought", said Mr Ayappa.

For a long time, advertisers and companies largely ignored conservative critics.

Ms Nair recalled an ad she made around 2008 for stationery company Camlin, in which attempts to forcefully rub off the vermillion - a sign of a married woman - from a widow's forehead fail because she has used a permanent marker. Comically, it revives the dead husband.

"There were complaints about it mocking an ancient funeral ritual, but the company didn't bother, so neither did we," she said.

In the past few years, however, companies are beating a fast retreat, especially when social media controversies spill over to the streets.

In October 2020, online opposition to jewellery brand Tanishq's ad featuring a Hindu-Muslim couple snowballed into Hindu extremist mobs who attacked the company showrooms. The parent company Tata Group, one of India's oldest and biggest corporations, had to pull the ad off air to protect its stores and staff.

In the same month, ethnic clothing-maker Fab India withdrew its ads for a festive collection named using Urdu words that critics said "hurt Hindu sentiment". The critics had erroneously associated the language with Islam.

In December last year, consumer goods company Dabur India withdrew its ad showing a same-sex couple celebrating a Hindu festival. When right-wing political leaders threatened legal action, Dabur quickly apologised for "unintentionally hurting people's sentiments".

"Apologies only normalise hatred," said Mr Ayappa, adding that companies should take up sensitive issues only if they reflect the brand philosophy.

For instance, film-maker Ruchi Narain was able to make her viral ad about the gigantic gap in financial literacy between men and women only because mobile wallet Paytm backed the idea strongly.

Even if much of the advertising world is focused on appealing to the majority, "advertising professionals have a responsibility because we make content that over a billion people will watch", Ms Narain said.

"So we must persevere to push modernity, open-mindedness - the things that slip through the cracks are usually the ones to lead to change."

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