The enduring legacy of ‘Thala’ Dhoni

On February 2, MS Dhoni took to Facebook to share the first look of the graphic novel, ‘Atharva: The Origin’. Written by Chennai-based architect-turned-graphic novelist Ramesh Thamilmani, it has the cricketer as a superhero. Since its poster release — that has the cricketer in a rugged warrior-like look — fans are dizzy with delight.

“I imagined how it would be if we had Dhoni as the novel’s hero,” said Thamilmani in an earlier interview with BLink. “It was also the time he had announced his retirement from cricket. For me personally, I wanted him to now transform as our hero to a superhero.”

Sketching a new persona

While there have been many sportspersons in India who have written autobiographies, this is probably the first time an Indian cricketer has appeared as a character in literary work. From a branding perspective, it is a unique move, especially since Dhoni has traditionally stuck to endorsements from just brands.

The book cover poster of ‘Atharva: The Origin’

Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist and former marketing head at PepsiCo, Motorola & HP Asia, says that it is an interesting move that will help extend Dhoni’s popularity in an unconventional way.

“This helps his fan base see him in a new way and will keep him in the spotlight. It could also open up merchandising opportunities- as superheroes tend to have big followings,” he says. “Retired sportsmen need to reinvent themselves to extend their shelf life, as the popularity curve diminishes steeply post their playing days. Also sportspersons recognise that their monetising time horizon is limited so they need to find new and unique ways to do so.”

Another book cover poster of ‘Atharva: The Origin’

Incidentally, as of late 2021, Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in August 2020, was endorsing as many as 30 brands. Dhoni’s brand value in 2020 was $36.3 million, down from $41.2 million in 2019, according to Brand Finance; but the win by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) revived his brand aura.

With Captain Cool retained for ₹12 crore in the recently held IPL auction, it is still unclear if the cricketer will don the yellow jersey in the upcoming edition.

Pan-India appeal

Sharing a similar perspective is Ashita Aggarwal, a marketing professor from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research. She shares insights on how brands choose a celebrity. “They always check how well the personality of the celebrity gels with the brand,” she says. Aggarwal recalls how Cadbury had roped actor Amitabh Bachchan in the early 2000s for endorsement. It was the time when the brand was facing crisis, following worm infestation in its products. “Amitabh gave people a sense of trustworthiness and naturally all the ads were a hit,” she says. Agarwal believes that Dhoni too has a similar appeal. “If you see his background, many of us could find it relatable — he came from a middle-class family. Thanks to his biopic, fans everywhere find him more relatable and as one of their own. I don’t think his endorsement will trickle down anytime soon,” she adds.

A symbol of inspiration

Beyond just attracting brands, Dhoni has even inspired entrepreneurs to initiate their own start-up. Take Ashish Ambasta of HappyPlus Consulting. He narrates how the idea of his firm came up.

“I attended a book launch around 2012 . Sachin Tendulkar and Dhoni, too, participated. This was when Dhoni reshuffled his team with more young players. One of the reporters had asked if he was happy with the squad, to which Dhoni replied that he wished he had a ‘happiness meter’ that could let him measure his level of happiness,” recalls Ambasta.

The statement sparked an idea in his mind. “I figured that whatever we do in life, the endgame is if it makes us happy or not. I eventually did a PhD and during the pandemic, I decided to start HappyPlus Consulting,” he says. Ambasta’s firm works with corporates, institutions and individuals to “make happiness a habit for everyone with the help of technology and experts”.

With the next edition of the IPL to be scheduled soon, fans may perhaps catch Dhoni sporting the yellow CSK jersey for the last time. But brands, however, will not forget him yet.

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