MAM
Godrej Expert along with Avadhoot Gupte set to create first-ever crowd sourced Ganpati Aarti
Mumbai: On the occasion of Ganeshotsav, music composer and singer Avadhoot Gupte, popularly known for his work in the Marathi entertainment industry, is collaborating with Godrej Expert Rich Crème hair colour to create first-ever crowdsourced Ganpati Aarti. Both Avadhoot and Godrej Expert Rich Crème hair colour is all set to welcome Lord Ganesha by encouraging people to contribute towards the lyrics of this new avatar of Ganpati Aarti.
On Thursday evening, Avadhoot took to his Instagram & Twitter profile and shared this news of creating the first-ever crowdsourced Ganpati Aarti with Godrej Expert Rich Crème hair colour. The video begins with the composer stating that Lord Ganesha fills our lives with colours though his several avatars. He further goes on to state that for a God as versatile, his aarti should be just as diverse with his praise. i.e. a NayaAvataar for Bappa’s Aarti. Giving an example to create aartis, Avadhoot designs a line of his own; “Life ko rangon se bharne tu aaya, sabka tu deva, sabka tu deva” – You have come to fill our lives with colours, you are the God of everyone. He further encourages devotees to provide lines and specific words of praise for Lord Ganesha that he would then compose a song out of and create Bappa ke aarti ka naya avatar.
Commenting on the initiative with Godrej Expert Rich Crème and new avatar of Ganpati Aarti, Avadhoot Gupte, said, “For many years, Ganeshotsav has been a festival that traditionally brought people together to celebrate Lord Ganesha. This year, I and Godrej Expert Rich Crème Hair Colour, thought of doing something different by creating a new version of Ganesh aarti. However, this new aarti had to be made in connection with the traditional belief of this festival which is uniting the people. Thus, we have decided to crowdsource lyrics of the aarti and encouraging patrons to share praises of Lord Ganesh and welcome him in a new way this year. The new aarti will definitely add more colour to the festivities of Ganeshotsav.”
Speaking on the first-ever crowdsourced Ganpati Aarti, Mr. Sunil Kataria, CEO – India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), said, “As a brand, Godrej Expert Rich Crème has been an expert of accessible hair transformation. Not only in our offerings but also the consumer initiatives taken by us are unique. Ganeshotsav is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in Maharashtra and across India. Through Godrej Expert Rich Crème initiative of creating the first crowd-sourced Ganpati devotion song, we aim to make this festival a memorable and engaging one for people. By partnering with Avadhoot Gupte, who is listed amongst India’s leading musician, the song’s rendition will be interesting and make the Ganeshotsav festivities more colourful.”
From next week, Avadhoot will start working on the lyrics and compositon of the Ganesh Aarti. Individuals from any part of India can contribute by visiting Avadhoot’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter profiles and posting the lyrics in the comments section. The crowd-sourced Ganpati Aarti will be released by him and Godrej Expert Rich Crème hair colour on their social media profile during Ganeshotsav.
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.
