Digital Agencies
Kent RO’s film honours building watchmen on Independence Day
NEW DELHI: As the nation preps up to commemorate its seventy-fourth Independence Day, Kent RO has come up with a campaign #NewNazairya which is currently doing the rounds of digital media. The first short digital film has a core message at its heart: let’s celebrate the unsung heroes who have helped us during the raging Covid2019 pandemic by bringing them centre stage on Independence Day.
Conceptualised and produced by Jigsaw Pictures, it begins with the secretary of a residential housing society looking upset when he is informed that he will not be hoisting the flag on 15 August like he has been doing for the past five years. That’s because Ramdhan will be taking his place, he is told, and that change for him is unwelcome and undignified. His wife, who overhears his annoyance, calmly fills a glass of water from a Kent RO water purifier and while he sips from it she explains to him that there is dignity in getting freedom from old and sick thinking. “Whether it’s you or Ramdhan, all are equal. Maybe he’s more than equal.”
The next shot reveals who Ramdhan is: the watchman or security guard of the building complex. Masked and very grateful at being given the honour, he hoists the national colours with the members urging him on and saluting the flag. A beaming Ramdhan gratefully acknowledges the honour that has been thrust on him. The secretary’s wife then says: “This act was his right. He kept us safe 24 hours every day during the pandemic.”
The film ends with a voiceover declaring: “Let’s celebrate Independence Day by honouring our Covid2019 warriors.”
At first glance, it looks like a very ordinary film, a simple thought, a simple truth, which has been used in many a film earlier in the past few months. But its message is deep. The SarsCov2 virus has taught us that it does not differentiate between rich and poor, it infects both, and kills both. It is the great leveller, just as death. The film makes us ponder how we can acknowledge this and respect those who keep us safe. And it brings to our attention the watchmen who are under our noses, but whom we take for granted.
“We have all experienced the surge of humanism and equality around and within us due to many who have come forth to help us be safe and survive,” says Jigsaw Pictures founder and creative producer Rajnish Lall. “Amongst the set of Corona warriors, the one who didn’t get much appreciation widely was the security guard or watchman manning our residences as they are not specialists.”
Adds Lall: “Watchmen all over India have gone beyond their defined duties and duty hours; they have made huge sacrifices. They have ensured that social distancing is practised and thus have helped millions of us escape the ravages of the infection. This is our way of reminding us of their contribution. We hope many other residential buildings and societies take note after watching our film and acknowledge their watchmen too. That will give us the greatest satisfaction.”
Kent Ro has collaborated with the official brand ambassador Hema Malini in most of its advertising. However, this time the brand has opted for well-known film and TV actors Apara Mehta and Feroz Bhagat, who are playing the husband and wife in this film.
“Kent Water Purifiers and Hema Malini are synonymous because of their long and impactful association,” explains Lall. “But as in the past, Kent makes its digital medium communications with actors other than Hema Malini. Because of the values the brand and she share, she’ll also be happy with the purity of thought in this communication and help spread it.”
The producer shared that filming in early August was a different experience altogether, “We shot in a restricted controlled environment. We had to ensure that everyone felt safe on the set hence extra efforts had to be put to adhere to the SOPs set by the government. Then the post-production had to be done completely from remote which is much more taxing and time-consuming both. This really tested the patience of all the team members since weren’t around to see or hear and approve every bit of creative,” Lall points out. “But after seeing the end result I really believe it has been worth it.”
BENGALURU: For years, creative teams have learned to live with ambiguity. Vague comments, last-minute changes, feedback that arrives without context, clarity, or conviction. It became part of the job – something teams worked around rather than getting it solved.
But as we head into 2026, that tolerance is wearing thin.
Creative work today moves faster, scales wider, and involves more stakeholders than before. Teams are producing more content across more formats, often with distributed collaborators and tighter timelines. In this environment, guesswork is no longer a harmless inconvenience. It’s a cost – to time, to budgets, and to creative mindspace.
The real problem isn’t feedback, it’s how it’s given
Most creative professionals you see today will tell you they’re not against feedback. In fact, they rely on it. Good feedback sharpens ideas, strengthens execution, and pushes work forward. The problem is ‘unclear’ feedback. When someone says “this doesn’t feel right” without context, they aren’t just revising – they’re basically decoding. They’re guessing what the problem might be, trying different directions, and burning time in the process. Multiply that by a few stakeholders and a few rounds, and suddenly days disappear.
In 2026, when teams are expected to deliver faster without compromising quality, interpretation is a luxury most can’t afford.
Scale has changed rverything
Creative projects used to be smaller and simpler. A designer, a manager, maybe one client contact. Feedback loops were short, even if they weren’t perfect.
Today, the same project might involve internal marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, brand reviewers, and regional teams. Everyone has a say. Everyone leaves comments. And often, those comments don’t agree. More people reviewing work means alignment matters more than ever. Clear feedback isn’t just about being nice to creative teams, it’s about keeping projects moving when complexity increases.
Guesswork quietly wears teams down
One of the less talked-about impacts of unclear feedback is what it does to people.
When feedback is vague or contradictory, creatives second-guess their decisions. They hesitate. They overwork. They keep extra time buffers “just in case.” Over time, confidence drops. Ownership fades. Work becomes safer, not stronger. Creative energy gets spent on managing uncertainty instead of pushing ideas forward. And in an industry already grappling with burnout, unclear feedback adds unnecessary mental load.
Actionable feedback is a shared skill
Clear feedback doesn’t mean controlling creative decisions or dictating every detail. It means being specific enough that someone knows what to do next.
Actionable feedback answers three basic questions:
What exactly needs attention?
Why does it matter?
What outcome are we aiming for?
This applies whether you’re reviewing a video frame, a design layout, or a copy draft. The clearer the feedback, the fewer follow-ups it creates. In 2026, teams that treat feedback as a skill and not an afterthought, will move faster with less friction.
Tools shape behaviour (whether we admit it or not)
The way feedback is delivered is often dictated by the tools teams use. Comments buried in long email threads, messages split across chat apps, or notes detached from the actual work all contribute to confusion.
When feedback lives outside the work, context often gets lost. When it’s disconnected from versions and timelines, decisions get questioned. When it’s scattered, accountability disappears. More teams are starting to realise that feedback problems aren’t just communication issues, they’re workflow issues. How work moves between people matters just as much as the work itself.
From Opinions To Alignment
One of the biggest shifts happening in creative teams is a move away from purely opinion-driven feedback. Instead of “I like this” or “I don’t,” teams are asking better questions:
● Does this meet the brief?
● Does this solve the problem?
● Does this align with the goal?
This change reduces unnecessary back-and-forth and helps feedback feel less personal and more productive. It also makes decisions easier to explain and defend. As creative work becomes more strategic, feedback has to support that shift.
2026 Is About Fewer Loops, Not Faster Loops
There’s a misconception that speed means moving through feedback cycles faster. In reality, the most creative teams aren’t just accelerating loops, they’re reducing them. Clear, actionable feedback upfront leads to fewer revisions later. Clear approval stages prevent last-minute surprises. Clear decisions stop work from circling endlessly.
In 2026, efficiency won’t come from working harder or longer. It will come from designing workflows that respect creative time and attention.
Ending guesswork is a mindset change
Ultimately, ending creative guesswork isn’t just about better tools or processes. It’s about mindset. It’s about recognising that clarity is an act of respect – for the work, for the people doing it, for the time invested and for the mindspace used. It’s about moving from “figure it out” to “here’s what we’re aiming for.”
Creative teams that embrace this shift will find themselves not only delivering faster, but also enjoying the process more. And in an industry built on imagination, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.
