Bajaj turned 100 years old and they are celebrating it with the ultimate family reunion—using AI. From founder Jamnalal Bajaj to the current leadership— including his great-grandsons Rajiv and Sanjiv Bajaj—everyone features in the ad film.
The almost 10-minute-long film, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, opens with a conversation between Gandhi and Jamnalal Bajaj, whom Gandhi fondly referred to as his fifth son.
On Jamnalal’s request, Gandhi enters the modern world to give the current Bajaj leadership a surprise audit and check whether the current generation is actually practicing the Gandhian ideal on which Jamnalal started the company—serving the nation. By handing the red pen to Gandhi, the brand cleverly bypasses the trap of corporate self-congratulation.
Conceptualised and executed by Wondrlab India, the film captures the current Bajaj CEOs pitching their business models to Gandhi—defending everything from eco-friendly scooters and global bike exports to the workings of Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Beyond. All to prove that their 21st-century hustle still aligns with 20th-century ideals.
The campaign is anchored by and named after the philosophy ‘Kathni Karni Ek Si,’ the principle that one’s words and actions must be identical.
Gandhi initially challenges the executives—asking with a joke if they’re adhering to traditional principles. The real-life corporate leaders then demonstrate how they have modernised those values for the 21st century.
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Gandhi for a capitalist era
Making Gandhi talk about motorcycle exports and micro-loans could easily have felt gimmicky. But by leaning into a Socratic, lighthearted dialogue, the film modernises Gandhian philosophy for a capitalist era.
Through a series of cheerful interactions, the ad shows how the ideals of the Swadeshi movement and the freedom movement map onto the group’s modern business sectors like global export and financial liberty.
The highlight was that the Bajaj family stepped in, instead of actors, to talk about the legacy and work of various sectors of Bajaj.
First is Rajiv Bajaj, who explains the evolution of the company’s manufacturing, noting that Bajaj now exports 100 per cent indigenous motorcycles to 108 countries. He also showcases the brand’s pivot toward sustainability with the transition of the heritage Chetak scooter into the electric E-Chetak.
Sanjiv Bajaj explains the financial services arm. He speaks about how they were inspired by Gandhi’s struggle for Independence. Their aim is to provide financial freedom to millions of citizens through accessible loans, insurance, and savings.
Shekhar Bajaj, wearing a traditional Khadi jacket, and Niraj Bajaj speak about Bajaj Beyond—the group skill development vertical. The ad equates the charkha—the Gandhian symbol of self-reliance—with modern upskilling through the group’s new national corporate social responsibility (CSR) vertical.
While Gandhi taught the nation to spin clothes for economic independence, Bajaj teaches contemporary technical skills, including computer literacy, solar panel installation, and vehicle repair toward the same goal.
Nirav Bajaj outlines the group’s commitment to making India self-reliant in the healthcare sector.
By the time Gandhi hands back the report card to Jamnalal Bajaj with his final verdict, Wondrlab and Hirani have pulled off a masterful narrative plot.
They have reframed Bajaj’s massive commercial scale, not as capitalistic greed, but as the 21st-century execution of a nationalistic ideal.
The title of the film, Kathni Karni Ek Si isn’t just a catchy tagline—it’s Bajaj’s century-long flex.
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(Edited by Theres Sudeep)