MAM
Asian Paints Sharad Shamman honors Pujo’s hidden heroes in heartwarming ad
Mumbai: Over the years, while styles, trends, and attitudes have changed in West Bengal, one thing has remained constant—the spirit of celebration. Through these decades, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman has been an integral part of Durga Pujo celebrations and proudly maintains its status of being Kolkata’s most esteemed Pujo Awards since 1985. It has not only led the transformation of pandals from simple setups to vibrant centers of art, culture, and creativity but has also gone behind the scenes to recognize and celebrate the individuals who contribute to making Durga Puja memorable for all. As a tribute to the dedicated people and pandals that have been part of Sharad Shamman for nearly four decades, Asian Paints has released a heartfelt TVC.
Beyond the extravagant pandals and the radiant lights, there exists an unseen army of individuals who labour tirelessly, often unnoticed but never unfelt. They are the unsung heroes of the festivities, the backbone of Pujo. This year, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman pays homage to these unsung heroes who meticulously attend to every detail, from crafting pandal decorations to rearranging furniture, ensuring that every aspect of the festival is perfect. Their ad film is a musical tribute to the resourceful neighbourhood individuals who breathe life into the Sharodiya by simply being a part of it.
Created by Ogilvy, the TVC takes viewers through the lesser-explored alleys of festive Kolkata. It sheds light on the labours of love that ultimately culminate in the grandeur and captivating experiences of Durga Pujo. Unlike the well-known pageantry of Pujo, the TVC focuses on the preparations that build up to it which is where the true essence of the festival resides – in the anticipation and fervour of Agomoni. The ad film offers glimpses of small, heartfelt moments – neighbourhood uncles guiding pandal builders to their designated spots, young girls lending a hand with decorations, and a differently-abled woman using her feet to paint alpona on the ground. It also showcases a group of artistic boys and girls painting a mural of Durga on a wall. Each frame is filled with warmth and camaraderie, highlighting themes of inclusion and acceptance.
Speaking about the film, Asian Paints Ltd MD & CEO Amit Syngle shared, “Asian Paints Sharad Shamman stands tall almost four decades on due to efforts of countless artists, sculptors, devoted committee members & communities or paras at large who work diligently to make their ‘para-pujos’ special and grand. We at Asian Paints are happy to have infused thematic excellence into Kolkata Pujos & championed the cause over years. The love that we have got from the people of Kolkata is special as they fondly refer to Asian Paints Sharad Shamman as the ‘Oscars of Pujo’. Last year, this festival received global recognition when UNESCO honoured it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a milestone made possible by these heroes & paras collectively, who have worked relentlessly over decades to make their Pujos . They truly embody the heart and soul of Pujo festivities. In our 39th year of Sharad Shamman, we celebrate and pay tribute to these exceptional individuals through our heart-warming film.”
“Durga Pujo is the only time of the year when the art of love and the love of art become one and the same. The days leading up to the big festival transforms into a celebratory workshop of laughter, inclusivity and creativity. Boundaries dissolve and differences get resolved when Pujo comes knocking on the door. That’s what we have tried to show and celebrate through this film. It is an homage to the festivity of creativity.”, said Ogilvy executive creative director Sujoy Roy.
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
