In a new ad campaign for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachch Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut plays the Hindu goddess, Lakshmi. The ad shows a different take on the saying “cleanliness is next to godliness”, by highlighting how people keep their houses clean but trash their surroundings in the bargain.
The 2 minute 45 seconds ad, directed by Pradeep Sarkar of Parineeta and Laga Chunari Mein Daag fame, opens to a housewife, played by Isha Koppikar, throwing the trash from her house onto the street whilst her husband prays to a picture of goddess Lakshmi. A second glance at the picture shows the goddess disappearing, leaving the couple flabbergasted.
The next scene features a paan shop owner, played by Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kissen, getting things ready for the day. Having cleaned his little shop, he lights the incense stick, to worship the goddess. An empty packet from the shop is thrown onto the road; the goddess from the picture disappears again.
Soon enough, we watch a startled crowd witnessing the goddess right in front of them, taking off on a bike. The goddess has had it with the so-called god-fearing but messy people and leaves the scene, with a pot of gold coins in her hand. The pot of gold coins refers to the wealth most people pray for to goddess Lakshmi. Interestingly, Ranaut as the goddess does not have any lines but her actions speak loudly enough.
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The voiceover by Amitabh Bachchan at the end, adds to the powerful effect the campaign aims for. “The surprising part is, on the one hand, we pray to the goddess and on the other, we spread trash,” he says, before imploring citizens to start cleaning up before Lakshmi ‘gets away from you’. Strangely, even as the goddess, she is a pillion rider on a bike driven by a man.
While the ad intends to drive home the point about keeping India’s streets clean, Kangana Ranaut’s appearance as the goddess will perhaps gain more recognition than the ad itself. The ad, albeit a little campy, has been trending on social media with the hashtag #DontLetHerGo. That’s exactly what the makers were aiming for.
Feature Image Courtesy: ndtv.com