Brands
Sudhir Deokar’s visualisation was photographically perfect: Ivan Arthur
MUMBAI: It was in the early 60s, I was a cub writer then, Sudhir a young tiger. Every day, I watched him roar, bold and resonant on his easel. And I cowered behind my table wondering what I was doing in a place like this? Tentatively, I handed him a line for an Esso advertisement, expecting a growl of disapproval. He looked at it for a moment and with the salivary articulation of well-chewed paan, he said: “Tomorrow.” The next morning I glanced at his easel and grew a hundred feet tall. There was my line on his layout, for sure, but barely recognisable even to me. Sudhir had made it resonate beyond the thesaurus.
He did this always. He took lines and gave them roundness, movement, dimension, resulting in halos for copywriters, account directors, clients and their brands. He freed the Air-India Maharaja from the croquill’s ruthless line and caressed him with that soft roundness. He poured sex appeal into Haryana Breweries’ beer barrels, played mid-wife to both DCM and Wipro Data Products and placed Hamdard on the medical pedestal it deserved. Name any Thompson brand from the early sixties to the Millenium year; Sudhir has gilded it with his brush. He retired as creative chief of the Mumbai office of Hindustan Thompson Associates (HTA), now JWT.
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Sudhir poured sex appeal into Haryana Breweries’ beer barrels
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He worked his magic with 6-B pencil, croquill, rotring, Indian ink, water-colours and his sable hair wand; conjuring up caricatures, cartoons, stylised drawings and life-like water colours; his 20-minute layouts often used as artwork. Artwork became works of art, clients having them framed and put up in their offices. His visualisation of human situations or tabletop was photographically perfect. When the final picture was taken in the studio, you might not be able to tell the difference between the photographed picture and the 20-minute wash drawing. Mitter Bedi, Obi, Salian and so many others would marvel at the lens that was Sudhir’s eye.
For close to three decades he gave my work the visual sanctification of his brush, and I feel blessed. I know that many who came before and after me will echo my feelings. He had the bigness and breadth to work with most anyone – from trainee to guru. Many of his trainees are gurus now. I look with awe today at a generation that thrives on the digital evacuation of ideas, but I still thrill to the memory of those visual insights shaped by hand and eye by artists like Sudhir. He was loved by all – from the most cussed of executives to the most difficult of clients.
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Freed the Air India Maharaja from the croquills ruthless line and caressed him with that soft roundness
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Besides being my creative soul mate, Sudhir became a friend of the family. His passing is a deep gash that my soul will have to bear for ever.
(Ivan Arthur is the former creative director of JWT, India. He can be contacted at Ivan.arthur@gmail.com)
Brands
Aurelia launches Spring Summer ’26 collection with Ananya Panday
#HameshaTrending campaign spotlights trendy Indian wear in fresh silhouettes and florals across 240 plus stores.
MUMBAI: Ananya Panday just proved that Indian wear can trend harder than your group chat because when fashion keeps up with your vibe, every outfit’s a plot twist. Aurelia, the women’s ethnic wear brand from Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited TCNS Division, has rolled out its Spring Summer ’26 collection under the punchy #HameshaTrending campaign, fronted by hindi movie’s Gen Z favourite Ananya Panday. The move sharpens Aurelia’s spot as the brand for young women who crave the latest in Indian aesthetics without ditching comfort or confidence.
The campaign film bursts with girl-gang energy, makeover sessions, office hangs, road trips, and wedding chaos, each scene swapping moods and styles seamlessly. Ananya embodies the effortless switch kurta one minute, co-ord set the next showing how Aurelia keeps looks fresh, relevant, and ready for whatever the day throws.
Ananya Panday said, “I’ve always believed fashion should feel fun, easy, and totally you. I love experimenting with trends, but in a way that still feels comfortable and natural. That’s what I love about Aurelia… #HameshaTrending is such a vibe because it’s about staying updated and feeling confident every single day.”
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited TCNS Division CEO Anant Daga added, “Aurelia has consistently resonated with women who want to stay relevant in an ever-evolving fashion landscape… The Spring Summer ’26 collection and #HameshaTrending campaign are strategic steps toward strengthening our fashion-forward credentials while continuing to offer accessibility, comfort, and inclusivity at scale.”
The collection itself is a seasonal refresh: updated kurta shapes, fluid co-ord sets, playful sleeves, bold necklines, softer pastels, on-trend florals, and breezy fabrics built for India’s heat. It’s designed to glide from desk days to brunch, festive dos to summer evenings proving wearable trendiness doesn’t mean sacrificing ease.
A full 360-degree rollout follows, the film hits social media, OTT, and digital video, backed by influencer tie-ups and creator buzz, while the pieces land in over 240 Aurelia stores plus online nationwide.
For anyone who’s ever stared at their wardrobe wondering how to stay current without trying too hard, this drop whispers: trend-chasing can be as simple as slipping into something that feels like you only sharper, brighter, and very much on point.
