MAM
Adani’s new airport film takes flight with heart
MUMBAI: If travel broadens the mind, Adani’s latest film does its best to warm the heart along the way. The Group has released “Aapke Safar Ke Humsafar”, a tender new addition to its Hum Karke Dikhate Hain series, proving that even the busiest airport can be a place where humanity quietly shines.
Unveiled in Ahmedabad, the narrative-driven film shifts the focus from grand numbers to small, meaningful moments, spotlighting the human touch that shapes every Adani Airport experience. It reinforces the Group’s belief that great infrastructure is not just about scale but about how people feel while passing through it.
Adani Group head of corporate branding Ajay Kakar, said the film reflects the company’s aspiration to make every traveller’s experience “magical and memorable”, adding that the spirit of Hum Karke Dikhate Hain continues to guide all brand stories.
The film has been conceptualised by Ogilvy India. CCOs Kainaz Karmakar and Harshad Rajadhyaksha noted that the series celebrates how the Adani Group is improving lives across India, and they expressed gratitude to the late Piyush Pandey, who personally guided this project with his trademark warmth. His passing in October 2025 lends this release a special emotional weight.
Directed by National Film Award winner Shoojit Sircar, the story follows an elderly couple embarking on their first international trip. Lost in the bustle of the terminal and anxious after misplacing a handwritten note of instructions, they find comfort when an Adani Airport associate steps in to guide them. From wheelchair support to a seamless route through duty free and the lounge, the film captures the reassuring presence of staff who become companions rather than mere facilitators.
The story ends on a heartfelt moment of gratitude, echoing its signature message, “We do not just run world-class airports… we become companions on your journey.”
With its gentle storytelling and emotional resonance, “Aapke Safar Ke Humsafar” continues the brand’s journey of celebrating care, connection and the quiet kindness that turns travel into something memorable.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
