MAM
Caratlane makes a Pujo proposal with a love story set to Rabindra Sangeet
MUMBAI: When love meets Pujo, sparks fly louder than dhak beats. Caratlane has dropped a new festive film that transforms Durga Puja into the most romantic stage for a proposal, complete with sindoor, Rabindra Sangeet, and one unforgettable ring.
The campaign, titled ‘Maayer Aashirbaad’, is conceptualised by BBH India and directed by award-winning filmmaker Bauddhayan Mukherji of Little Lamb Films. At its core is Caratlane’s elegant proposal ring, unveiled as the ultimate symbol of commitment, timed to match the emotional crescendo of Bengal’s grandest celebration.
Music drives the entire storytelling. Composed by Debojyoti Mishra, the score is a soul-stirring medley that blends timeless Rabindra Sangeet with earthy folk melodies. Sung by Mekhla Dasgupta and Chirantan Banerjee, the tracks double as dialogue, with lyrics becoming playful exchanges between the protagonists, actors Ayoshi Talukdar and Subhrojit Saha. Their chemistry carries the love story from Shoshthi to Doshomi, across iconic moments like Anjali, Dhunuchi Naach, and Bhog.
The film reaches its high point during Doshomi’s sindoor khela, where the male lead drops down on one knee in a cinematic proposal. The ring gleams not just as jewellery but as a promise rooted in tradition yet charged with spontaneity. It’s the kind of moment that lingers, much like the colours of Pujo itself.
For BBH India, CCO Parikshit Bhattacharya the festival was always a love story waiting to be framed. “Durga Pujo is already about romance, rituals, and memories. We wanted to set one more love story against that backdrop,” he said, emphasising how cultural truths create deeper brand narratives.
Caratlane MD Saumen Bhaumik echoed that sentiment, noting that proposals are “matters of the heart free flowing, spontaneous, like a melody.” By weaving music, ritual and romance, the campaign aims to move beyond standard jewellery ads into something more heartfelt and enduring.
With its lush visuals, rich soundscape, and a story that plays out as much in the heart as on screen, Maayer Aashirbaad isn’t just a campaign, it’s a proposal wrapped in the colours, chaos, and cadences of Pujo itself.
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.
