Flipkart hasn’t learned from past mistakes. New ad uses a poor, paralysed man as punchline

The message was simple: affordable, fresh vegetables. But the way it was delivered speaks volumes about the advertising industry’s ongoing struggle with ethical storytelling.

YouTube screengrab | Flipkart

There’s a fine line between humour and insensitivity. Flipkart’s new campaign, with its nod to the hit movie 3 Idiots, has crossed it.

The brand’s latest commercial, intended to promote ‘Flipkart Minutes’, has garnered over 25 million views on YouTube. But its portrayal of poverty through the life of a man suffering from paralysis is jarring.

Just last month, the Supreme Court summoned comedian Samay Raina and four other influencers following a PIL accusing them of making derogatory jokes about people with disabilities. The court issued a stern reminder about the misuse of creative freedom at the cost of human dignity.

While there are some comments under the Flipkart ad highlighting that it is in “bad taste”, most have called it “iconic” and “legendary”.

According to Neha Bajaj, founder of branding agency Scroll Mantra, the line between funny, relatable storytelling and outright insensitivity often gets blurred when it comes to public performance and perception building.

“There is a vast impact of visuals and language on public perception. Especially in a country like ours, where our youth comprises our maximum population, it is important for us to be sensitive when speaking about issues that matter. Whether deliberate or not, such portrayals reinforce harmful biases,” she said.

Nostalgia falters

The ad reimagines a popular scene from 3 Idiots in which Rancho (Aamir Khan) and Farhan (R Madhavan) visit the house of Raju (Sharman Joshi) for the first time.

In the video, Amardeep Jha reprises her role as Raju’s mother, ranting about the rising prices of vegetables. Mid-rant, a Flipkart flyer blows into the house, announcing farm-fresh produce at just Rs 9. Actor Mukund Bhatt, also returning to his role as Raju’s paralysed father, attempts to draw his wife’s attention to the flyer, in an action clearly meant to draw laughs from the character’s disability.

While using the nostalgic value of the scene might have been a smart creative move, the decision to mock disability is where the campaign falters.

The commercial reinforces the idea that the struggles of people with disabilities are entertainment fodder. It also mocks underprivileged people.

According to Bajaj, when brands promote content that uses disability as the punchline, they normalise insensitivity under the guise of creativity.

“True creativity is rooted in empathy, insight, and a sense of social responsibility. While I understand that it is important we don’t enter the realm of moral policing, some checks are essential to ensure that we build a truly diverse and inclusive nation that respects all,” she said.

For a brand as big as Flipkart, the lack of sensitivity is disappointing.

The message was simple: affordable, fresh vegetables. But the way it was delivered speaks volumes about the industry’s ongoing struggle with ethical storytelling.

Learning from the past?

In 2016, one of Flipkart’s commercials depicted children as Gorkhas, angering the community, which called it racist. In the video—which is no longer available—two watchmen try to warn a ‘sahebji’ and a ‘madamji’ against ordering online because one cannot trust online portals. Of the two watchmen, one is Gorkha and is seen wearing the Bhadgaunle Topi and carrying the Khukri badge, a symbol of Nepali identity.

At the time, the Gorkha Youth and Students’ Association of India (GYASA) filed an official complaint with the Delhi police.

“Their advertisement makes a mockery of the Gorkha community, and stereotypes us,” the complaint read.

Flipkart withdrew the advertisement and apologised for hurting the sentiments of the Gorkha community.

But in an open letter, the company also urged the community to “enjoy the innocent humour of the communication” while maintaining that their intention was never to typecast any community.

Laughter is a good medicine, but not at the cost of others.

Brand: Flipkart
Agency: Leo Burnett

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(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)