Instamart brings Esha Deol back as ‘Dhaai Kilo Ki Rakhi’

MUMBAI: Some rakhis tie a thread, while others come with a little extra weight. This Raksha Bandhan, Swiggy Instamart is leaning into Bollywood nostalgia with ‘Dhaai Kilo Ki Rakhi’, a playful campaign featuring Esha Deol that gives a familiar film dialogue a festive quick-commerce makeover.

The campaign opens with Deol invoking the iconic “dhaai kilo” reference before introducing a wild-haired Professor who attempts to scientifically explain why her brother’s arm carries such extraordinary weight. The result is a comic crash course in “Thermo-Dhaai-Namics”, complete with X-rays, blackboard equations and a pulley experiment.

The oversized hand is tested against the Earth, Shukra, Shani and even a tank of water, but keeps tipping the scales. The equation finally finds its balance when an Instamart delivery executive arrives with the only solution apparently large enough for the job, a “dhaai kilo ki rakhi”.

The campaign also gives the traditional bhai ka return gift a silver lining. Customers purchasing an eligible rakhi on Instamart will receive a complimentary 10-gram silver voucher from Kalyan Jewellers. The offer is available across multiple cities, subject to availability and applicable terms and conditions.

Mayur Hola, Head of Brand, Swiggy, said the brand has previously used pop-culture references for its Raksha Bandhan campaigns, including ‘Rakhi with Rakhi’ and ‘Shera Bhai’. This year’s campaign, he said, brings a recognisable Bollywood moment into the sibling celebration while adding a silver voucher to the gifting equation.

Ramesh Kalyanaraman, Executive Director, Kalyan Jewellers, said the partnership combines quick-commerce convenience with the traditional value associated with silver, making the return gift part of the festive proposition.

Behind the film, there is also a bigger shift in how consumers are shopping for the festival. Instamart’s 2025 Raksha Bandhan data showed rakhi orders rising 3.5x year on year, while rakhi hampers grew 8x. Demand for sweets and chocolates also jumped, increasing 8x and 4x respectively compared with regular days.

The platform also observed consumers beginning their Raksha Bandhan shopping several days ahead of the festival, suggesting that quick commerce is moving beyond its last-minute reputation as festive purchases become more planned and elaborate.

For Instamart, the campaign therefore puts two familiar ingredients in the same frame Bollywood nostalgia and instant delivery. And if the rakhi really does need to match a legendary hand, at least the wait for it is only a few minutes.