PepsiCo's new digital film brings back the joy of #GharWaliDiwali

How many times do you pick up the phone to tell Ma you won’t be coming home for the holidays, because you have a deadline at work, or have plans with friends? Do you instantly regret the decision, miss the good old days of holiday fun, getting together and sharing lip smacking goodies with the whole family? PepsiCo’s latest – a heart-warming short film, directed by Vikramadity Motwane of Udaan fame and featuring National Award winning actress Geetanjali Thapa, takes you back to the simple joys of #GharWaliDiwali

Aimed at the millennials, who are always on the go and while always connected through technology sometimes miss out on physical proximity to their families, the film is a reflection of life in today’s busy world and the joys of a homecoming for Diwali. As an extension to the thought, PepsiCo is also enabling consumers to send some love home to their families in the form of Manish Arora designed Kurkure gift packs with a personalized message. The campaign further urges consumers to share what they love and miss the most about their #GharWaliDiwali, promising a surprise for lucky winners with the best, most heart-warming stories.

After the hugely popular #BackToSchool film, which was directed by Abhishek Kapoor, PepsiCo has roped in more famous faces to this video in the form of director Vikramditya Motwane and National Award winning Actress Geetanjali Thapa.

Geetanjali Thapa, who’s played the lead in the video, says “I felt a strong connect with the protagonist of the film as PepsiCo has captured a very intrinsic emotion we all feel but rarely express or do much about. I hope more and more people who see this film will find ways to rejoice in a #GharWaliDiwali”
                                           
The film, live on Pepsi India’s Youtube channel (www.youtube.com/pepsiindia), showcases the constant virtual connectivity with our families that has become intrinsic to our lives, with Geetanjali, playing a young working mother. Geetanjali, who stays in a different city with her husband and a young daughter, reaches out to her parents over video calls, social media networks and frantic speed dial calls, asking for advice, sharing her dilemmas, confirming recipes and seeking instructions on how things work. Her parents who are always happy to lend an ear or offer a word of comfort, however are disappointed when she declines to come home for Diwali the second year in a row. What ensues is a barrage of calls from Geetanjali to her parents, which receive no response. To find out what happens next, view the film on www.bit.ly/GharWaliDiwali.

PepsiCo India’s Head of Digital Marketing, Rishi Dogra says, “The joy of celebrating any occasion with your family is unmatched. This Diwali, we wanted to cherish this affectionate bond and help people relive these moments which often get missed in our always on and virtually connected lifestyle. With the film, which has been beautifully created by Vikramaditya Mortwane, consumers are sure to experience some long lost nostalgic moments. We are also looking forward to consumers sharing these moments of #GharWaliDiwali and have planned some exciting surprises for those with the most engaging stories.”

“India has become mobile and dynamic. We have moved out of homes and travelled the roads in quest of our dreams, our careers, our lives. Technology has been an ally and have brought our families closer. We feel we are connected. Maybe sometimes, we start taking this for granted. Specially during Diwali. Nothing can replace the love and warmth of HomeComing. Over food, drinks and merrymaking. This is what this film is all about. It’s a calling to all of us to come home.” Babita Baruah, Sr.VP & Executive Business Director, JWT.

"For me, this story has been an attempt to reconstruct an emotion that haunts me every diwali. It's such an emotional festival because we've all grown up attaching all sorts of rituals to it but the way we celebrate it these days is so functional,  so convenient that it takes the joy away- leaving you feeling lonelier than ever. I just wanted people to make the effort, take the trouble to celebrate it like you remember it. At home, with your folks and not over the phone.” Sonia Bhatnagar, Executive Creative Director, JWT.

Creative Details
·         Agency : JWT Delhi
·         Sr. Vice President : Babita Baruah
·         Executive Creative Director : Sonia Bhatnagar
·         National Planning Director : Mythili Chandrashekhar
·         Vice President : KRK Ganesh
·         Films : Mandeep Singh, Adil Jain
·         Production House : Red Ice Production
·         Director : Vikramaditya Motwane