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Rajesh Khanna’s maiden attempt in the world of endorsements and perhaps his last with the lens attracted its own share of controversies, bringing ‘Kaka’ back into the limelight, long after his screen career.
While his fans cried foul, some critics termed it as ‘bold’. The advertisement created its own share of buzz on social networks.
Rajesh Khanna was endorsing Havells’ fans. The ad campaign tried to capture his popularity laced with a hint of humour, which projected the country’s first superstar as a ‘vulnerable’ shadow of what he used to be.
‘ Babu Moshai, mere fans mujh se koi nahi chheen sakta ’ (no one can take my fans away from me), says Rajesh Khanna in the ad, recreating his dialogue from the film Anand , indicating that he was still very much there. The background showed hundreds of ceiling fans swirling.
Sources said the company (Havells) is unlikely to continue with the campaign. The company officials had earlier said they were prepared for both positive and negative comments from viewers.
A company official said the “Fans for Forever” campaign was almost in its last leg as the summer season has ended.
The advertisement campaign was created by Lowe Lintas and shot by the agency’s Chairman and Chief Creative Officer R Balakrishnan. or Balki, as he is popularly known, ironically has given Khanna’s rival of yesteryear, Amitabh Bachchan, two of his recent hits Cheeni Kum and Paa .
On YouTube, in a film that shows the making of the Havells advertisement, Balki said, “He is too sharp. He knows the grammar of cinema one hundred per cent and has a phenomenal sense of humour. The man who has seen stardom and handled like nobody else has.”
Rajesh Khanna is said to have played a key role in the way he looked in this ad, personally preferring the black tuxedo and the glasses, as the directors decided to portray him in a contemporary manner for the younger generation to know how popular he was.
The company had roped in Rajesh Khanna for the campaign that was launched with the Indian Premier League in April.
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