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Ek India Happywala is what Sony wants India to sing during IPL
MUMBAI: The ballroom in the five star hotel was packed with journalists, jostling for space. The lights were dimmed. Toddlers waddle in cutely with white blossoms in their hands. They distribute a flower each to the scribes present there – the fragrance of peace travels all across the ballroom.A tall Sikh gentleman is escorted onto the stage, the LED backdrop lights up. Inscribed on the LED wall were the words: Ek India…Happywala.
And as the lights gradually come on, they reveal the turbaned gentleman. He is none other than Sony Pictures Networks (SPN )- erstwhile known as Multi Screen Media (MSM) – CEO NP Singh. And what just happened was the unveiling of the 2016 campaign of India’s longest short format league – the Indian Premier League which annually captures the hearts and minds of cricket crazy India.
Sony Max and Sony Max2 senior executive vice president Neeraj Vyas follows Singh on the stage, and without any hemming and hawing proudly announces: “The biggest brand of the country cannot stay away from the mood of the country.
And that exactly underlines the campaign’s central theme: unity, harmony and happiness are the three pillars on which the entire Ek India….Happywala (One happy India) is based.
The 60 second TVC reflects on the ongoing intolerance brouhaha in the country and shows how cricket and IPL can help things turn around positively.
The film starts with greyscale still images of a rickshaw driver getting a thrashing, a horrified inked man and two youth battling it out with a hockey stick each in their hands.
The images move to color showing a youth engaged in vandalising a yellow taxi. A cricket ball lands at his feet and then follow a group of young kids asking for the ball. He stops smashing up the cab and joins the young ones in their game.
That’s the power of the IPL and that’s what exactly the campaign wants to communicate.
The strong message is complemented by Salim and Sulaiman’s touchy background score.
“Sonal Dabral and his DDB Mudra team created the campaign for us, they did it last year too. We have also kept the same creators when it comes to music and if you see there is not much of a difference from our last year’s campaign India Ka Tyohaar. IPL is a catalyst that unites the nation and thats what the campaign communicates” explains Vyas.
The campaign has already rolled out digitally and soon will mark its presence on television.
TV will remain the most spent medium when it comes to marketing as per Vyas’ assessment. “50 per cent of the spends will go on TV whereas the remaining 50 per cent will be spent on radio, digital and print” he adds.
The campaign will have dubbed versions for the regional markets with the outdoors in key HSM markets providing recall support..
“HSM plays a vital role when it comes to the ratings and hence our key focus will be on that market. But the initiatives that we launch will cater to pan India audiences as IPL is popular in every nook and corner. Radio will see a lot of jingles while interactive campaign will orchestrate the digital media initiatives” asserts Vyas.
The campaign push and strategy will depend on the ICC T20 World Cup and India’s performance in the tournament.
“The cricketing mood will be determined by team India’s performance. So we will have to wait, watch, asses and then strategise. We have our plans chalked out, we will be present on our networks as well as on other networks too,” reveals Vyas.
“They have made great use of the generic situations, if you see the car that is broken is a yellow taxi and the man is wearing glasses. It connects you to Bengal where there is an election. The inked man is still fresh in every mind and the music speaks about unity, happiness and equality. You cannot ignore the negatives if you want to portray a positive scenario and hence usage of this scenario is nothing controversial in my opinion. I think it’s a good anthem and the smaller videos complement it nicely,” says an executive creative director of a reputed creative agency.
“Whatever is done by us will have repercussions on the young children and that is why we have young children all throughout the video. We will perish soon, what matters is the future of the nation, the igniting minds,” concludes Vyas.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
