News Headline
Max readies Big B movie fest backed by ad campaign
MUMBAI: The Sun has not yet set on the ICC Champions Trophy – the semi-finals of which, are currently underway in England. Max (where the series is being aired) had unleashed an interesting ad campaign to promote Extraaa Innings with the Mandira Bedi hoardings. Now with the ICC Champions Trophy winding up on 25 September, Max is setting it’s eyes on movies yet again.
As soon as the Champions Trophy gets over, Max will be airing the Amitabh Bachchan film festival called Main Hoon Don, from 27 September to 15 October. The ad campaign comprising outdoor and print for the same will be rolled out tomorrow.
Max has been known for its innovative ad campaigns entirely conceptualised by its ad agency Euro RSCG. Says Max vice president marketing and commercial Tushar Shah, “Special events like cricket comes after one and a half years and our mainstay has always been movies. Our aim has always been to expand our audience base for cricket and then translate those viewers for movies on our channel.” The channel claims that it rules the roost as far movie channels go and it’s rival Zee Cinema is a distant second.
Says Shah, “Having reached the number one slot, we wanted to consolidate our position and hence we thought of the 5 pm festival – Main Hoon Don – focusing on Bachchan.” The channel will air Big B’s movies from Monday to Friday for three weeks. The ad revolves around the much acclaimed kid Sameer Khan, who shot to fame with the gully cricket ad. And for him, there has been no looking back since then.
Euro RSCG vice president (creative) Ashok Karnik said, “To publicise the Main Hoon Don Amitabh Bachchan film festival, we thought of an ad campaign, which has a strong mix of relevance, creativity and ‘deewanapan’. Using the Max ‘boy’ who starred in the first campaign, and by using well known dialogues of Amitabh movies, it informs everyone about the festival in a clever and entertaining manner. So lines like “Apna 5 baje Amitabh ke saath appintment hai, appintment’ and ‘Amitabh ko pakadna ab mushkil nahin, aasan hai’ bring home this message in a refreshing manner.”
The channel wanted to treat their communication differently and not talk about the product but about the effect that the product would have on the viewers. The kid, who oozes attitude, fits the brand proposition of the channel to a ‘T’. Max has always positioned itself as a channel with a lot of passion and deewananpan. The shots, Sameer Khan has given for the ads reflect some of Amitabh’s attitude and it suits him well too. Some memorable scenes from Bachchan’s movies have been incorporated in the ads.
While the print and outdoor campaings for the Main Hoon Don festival will have Sameer Khan; the TVC for the same, will however, have a collage of Bachchan’s films. Some of the movies that will be aired during the festival will be Don, Mukadar Ka Sikandar and Laawaris.
If we jog our memories a bit, there isn’t a ‘different’ campaign that any channel has come out with in a long time (excluding Max of course). And yet again, the channel has lived up to the challenge of coming up with an ad campaign which will stay put in the viewers’ mind for a long time.
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.
