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Tuesday, March 18, 2025
TopicBrandma

Topic: Brandma

Nirula’s — Dates to birthday parties, Delhi’s favourite restaurant is a place of many ‘firsts’

From burgers to a whopping 21 flavours of ice creams, Nirula’s was the first to the wonders of American fast food. But, with the entry of MNCs McDonald’s and KFC, its shine began to dim.

Fuss over Ranveer Singh’s nude photos isn’t a first, Milind Soman-Madhu Sapre ad is a reminder

A 1995 advertisement for the shoe brand courted controversy for featuring nude photographs of the two models. The brain behind the campaign was advertising legend Elsie Nanji.

‘Samvidhaan’: Shyam Benegal’s show that told young India what went into drafting constitution

The series crunches down three years of Constituent Assembly debates into a 10-hour mini-series for young India.

‘Rajiv Gandhi ka ailan/nahi banega Khalistan’: When ad agency helped Congress score big 1984 win

Rediffusion’s ad campaign with full-throated take on fears of separatism helped propel Congress to historic victory in the wake of anti-Sikh riots & Indira Gandhi’s assassination.

Hatim, a low-budget epic about an Arabian prince, gripped Indian viewers in the early 2000s

The series was only on air for a year, but stood out from saas-bahu staples with its unapologetic fantasy storytelling and novel CGI to become cult classic

Doordarshan’s Buniyaad, a family drama that masterfully captured the pangs of Partition

Buniyaad was put together by stellar performances, writing that relied on realism and authentic production design that brought pre-Partition Hindustan to the small screen.

Dhara’s ‘jalebi’ ad from the 1990s still means home and family

In 2018, UberEats recreated the classic ad with the same actor, the little boy from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, but with a biryani twist.

Nukkad, Saeed Mirza’s DD classic that used humour and a gentle gaze to portray the poor

A home-run production, Leftist ideals and a talented cast and crew made the 1986 cult show 'Nukkad' worth remembering.

Le Sancy, the soap that made Rahul a name to remember way before Shah Rukh Khan

The boat-shaped soap was a case of great advertising that just didn't work.

Roz khao ande: When a pro-egg campaign was a hit with Indian vegetarians

The 1980s campaign pitched egg as a fun food, and told Indians how they could make several dishes out of it.

On Camera

King without a kingdom—why Gyanendra’s return has sparked monarchy chatter in Nepal

Former King Gyanendra Shah’s supporters see him as a ray of hope. They believe he can bring back political stability to the country, which has remained a distant dream for 17 years.

Haryana budget unveils a ‘Department of Future’, allots Rs 5,000 crore to key BJP poll promise

Haryana CM Nayab Saini, who also holds the finance portfolio, unveiled his first budget Monday. Total outlay for FY 2025-26 is Rs 2.05 lakh cr, up 13.7% hike from previous fiscal year.

‘Unknown gunmen’ strike Hafiz Saeed’s close aide Sindhi in Pakistan; was behind Poonch-Rajouri attacks

Sindhi, a top LeT commander, oversaw drone arms drops, infiltrations into J&K, and Rajouri-Poonch attacks. He managed LeT camp in Kotli and reported directly to Sajid Jutt.

Trick or retreat: There’s a grand deception behind Indian military shortfalls, and in this column

It is fashionable to curse Rajiv Gandhi for Bofors and more, but the truth is that 1985-89 was the only period in our history when weapons acquisitions were proactive and futuristic.