Just Ad Libbing

After a long time I see an ad spot on TV that's difficult to tear one's eyes from. It's different, a little quirky, uplifting and addictive. How many ads can one say that for?

I'm referring to the Madhya Pradesh Tourism ad that uses the most expressive pair of eyes to highlight the attractions of the state (computer-graphy plays its role, but so what?). Then the eyes take you on a journey from the forests - turning into tiger peepers - to Sarnath - turning into calm slits of meditative bliss - to rail yatras - turning into rail wheels chugging along and so on. The narrative is in the folklore style of Bundelkhand and grows on you, rythmic and homespun in tone and flavour. It's a visual and aural stimulation that catches your attention and makes you want more. Even as a part of you does not succumb to the lure of MP, you are carried away by the romanticism of the depiction. But more than all this, it's a presentation that makes you feel so proudly Indian. A salute to the concept and the makers!

If our state government departments can do this, why do our Health, Finance, Railway ministries continue to come up with such pathetic ads on pulse polio, tax returns and ticket black-marketeering? Unimaginative and a challenge to finer sensibilities, these ads are no better than shoddy powerpoint presentation put together by amateur babus in the corridors of Nirman Bhavan and the like.

Then, on the other hand, you have the commercial ads that are hugely dependent on star power for their pull and glamour. At least some of them make the effort to evolve a good story line like most of Aamir Khan ads or the Idea ads with Bachchan junior. The rest simply rely on cine beauties who swirl their hair or their clothes or flutter their eyelashes and disappear.

Anyway, this was meant to be an ode to a great ad - and I'd like to end on that note. Keep them coming!