MAM
Bail Kolhu calls for equal gender roles in kitchen in new TVC
Mumbai: The duty of kitchen chores has always been shifted to the female of the house. Ideally, the kitchen workload should be equally divided among men and women. Keeping this thought in mind, Bail Kolhu, the flagship brand of FMCG company BL Agro has launched a #RasodeMeinMardHai TVC, that adroitly pushes for equal gender roles. This new marketing campaign features Bollywood actors Pankaj Tripathi, Manoj Bajpayee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
The ad spot was conceptualised and created by Leads Brand Connect, a multi-dimensional creative agency that also created Bail Kolhu’s earlier TVCs. The #RasodeMeinMardHai TVC was recently unveiled by Pankaj Tripathi and launched on national television channels. It is set to be rolled out in print and digital media to cover 360-degree communication, said the brand.
The TVC promotes the long-established mustard oil marketed under the trade name Bail Kolhu. On the objective front, the ad positions and reminds audiences that Bail Kolhu is the best choice for real taste with script lines like ‘kya chuna aapne asli swaad ke liye? Bail Kolhu.’ But the messaging of the advert goes deeper, using a ‘show-not-tell’ idea to advocate the concept of even men must shoulder the responsibilities in the kitchen.
To that end, Pankaj, Manoj, and Nawazuddin are seen cooking with Bail Kolhu in the TVC. With script lines such as ‘mazedar swaad unhi ko milta hai jinka kaam bolta hai,’ the ad continuously emphasises normalising gender roles in the kitchen and shows all three actors cooking and then serving three separate dishes for a celebratory family meal.
“Bail Kolhu is a long-standing brand with recall value rooted in consumers. So, our vision with the TVC went beyond generating brand lift and into advocating the #RasodeMeinMardHai concept,” said BL Agro MD Ashish Khandelwal. “We couldn’t have found a better fit to champion the social cause than Pankaj Tripathi, Manoj Bajpayee, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Their persona and journeys are very apropos of the initiative, which is why the message we wanted to convey comes out very naturally and effectively.”
“Leads Brand Connect team came up with an extremely unconventional but necessary concept of ‘why should cooking be a woman’s job alone.’ It’s a stereotype that is often represented in advertisements, and we wanted to break that chain while simultaneously supporting the idea that men should cook too,” said Leads Brand Connect CEO Sanjay Srivastava. “With Pankaj, Nawazuddin, and Manoj, we were able to bring that out without being on the nose about it and, of course, creating more recall for Bail Kolhu.”
Leads Brand Connect has previously created two TVCs for Bail Kolhu. The first TVC ‘Safar,’ drew an analogy between the stunning rise of Manoj Bajpayee, Pankaj Tripathi, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Bail Kolhu. The second TVC, with the punch line ‘Khushu Ka Yaadon Se Rishta’ also featured the trio reminiscing that the aroma of good food never fails to transport people to cherished childhood memories as it is the essential ingredient for all occasions.
“With this new TVC, we had a dual goal. The first is perceptible – to position our mustard oil as the best choice to bring out flavour while cooking. The second is crafted with more subtlety. We wanted to break the preconceived notion that the kitchen is solely a woman’s arena, and she alone should be accountable for all the work that comes with it, from cooking to cleaning. So, instead of using an actress, we portray three leading Bollywood actors preparing a meal, which incidentally is the very first time you’ll see it on a TVC,” stated BL Agro spokesperson Richa Khandelwal.
MAM
Sameer Nair steps down as CEO of Applause Entertainment
Veteran media executive exits after a decade at the Aditya Birla Group-backed studio.
MUMBAI: After a decade of calling the shots, Sameer Nair is taking a bow from Applause Entertainment. The veteran industry leader and CEO of the prominent content studio is stepping down from his role, according to sources familiar with the development. This marks a significant leadership transition at one of India’s key players in the television and digital content space.
Applause Entertainment, part of the Aditya Birla Group, has built a strong reputation under Nair’s leadership for its high-quality adaptations of international formats and a slate of original series across OTT platforms. Nair, who joined the company a decade ago, was instrumental in shaping its growth and positioning it as a notable force in India’s evolving streaming landscape.
Prior to Applause, he held senior roles at major media organisations, including Star India, where he played a pivotal part in the launch of the iconic show Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000. He also worked with Balaji Telefilms and NDTV Imagine.
It remains unclear who will succeed Nair or what his next professional move will be. Queries sent to Nair did not receive a response, and Applause Entertainment declined to comment on the matter.
His exit comes at a time when the Indian content ecosystem is undergoing rapid changes, with streaming platforms recalibrating investments, focusing on profitability, and adjusting content strategies amid shifting viewer preferences and increasing competition.
Industry insiders suggest the transition could signal a strategic reset for Applause as it navigates the next phase of growth.
In the fast-paced world of Indian entertainment, where hits can fade as quickly as they rise, Sameer Nair has enjoyed a remarkably steady and influential run. As he steps off the stage at Applause, the spotlight now turns to what comes next for both the executive and the studio he helped build.
