Aashirvaad gives Onam’s Maveli a fit new look in digital campaign

MUMBAI: Maveli has trimmed the belly, but not the festive feast. This Onam, Aashirvaad Atta is giving Kerala’s much-loved king a contemporary makeover, turning the traditionally plump Maveli into a ‘Fit Maveli’ in a new digital video campaign that blends humour with the growing conversation around balanced eating and exercise.

Maveli, or Mahabali, is one of the defining figures of Onam, traditionally portrayed as a jovial king with a prominent pot belly. Aashirvaad’s film plays with that familiar image, imagining what happens when the legendary king returns looking considerably fitter and using the surprise to deliver a message around everyday food choices and an active lifestyle.

The campaign does not frame festive indulgence as something to avoid. Instead, the ‘Fit Maveli’ character tells children about maintaining a routine of balanced meals and exercise, while leaving plenty of room for the Sadhya when Onam arrives.

The film also taps into changing eating habits in Kerala, where atta and chapati are increasingly finding a place alongside rice in everyday meals. Aashirvaad positions the shift around the idea of building a more balanced plate while retaining the foods and traditions associated with the festival.

Anuj Rustagi, Chief Executive, Staples Business Unit, Foods Division, ITC Ltd., said the campaign was intended to give Maveli a playful contemporary twist while reflecting evolving everyday food choices in Kerala. He added that nutritious, balanced meals and regular exercise can coexist with the Sadhya and other traditions that define Onam.

Nutrition expert Sweety Gopi of Apollo Adlux Hospital, Kochi, said consumers in Kerala are increasingly exploring greater variety in their everyday meals. She noted that whole wheat chapati can provide dietary fibre and other nutrients when paired with vegetables, pulses, curd and lean protein-rich foods.

Gopi also highlighted regular physical activity, adequate hydration and mindful portions as practical everyday habits that can support overall health while allowing people to continue enjoying traditional foods and festive indulgences.

For Aashirvaad, the campaign turns a familiar cultural icon into a conversation starter around changing food habits without asking Kerala to choose between health and heritage. After all, even a fitter Maveli apparently knows that Onam is not the time to put the Sadhya on a diet.