Women who are victims of sexual assault are often advised to forget about it as if it were a bad dream. The shame culture associated with the victims is still a subject of hot debate — to speak out or not to speak — is the biggest question. The assault on actress Bhavana is one that shook the entire country. But Bhavana braved the odds and not only did she return to acting with two movies, but also began shooting for her next movie within weeks. Now, in a new TV commercial for a tea brand, she is seen speaking about ‘strength’ and ‘facing the odds’. The ad begins with a narration that translates to this, “As the going gets tough, we begin to realise our inner strength.”
Soon enough many people online got into a heated debate about the right and wrong of the ad. While some applauded her brave stand, others asked if it was right on the part of the product to capitalise on the assault. Director of the ad, Jaseer Mohammed, says, “The idea and concept was provided by the advertising agency. I only directed it. Ever since the ad was released, we’ve been receiving positive feedback. Bhavana is being appreciated too. I think there will always be a negative and positive side to everything. Bhavana never felt the need to stay away from the ad. In fact, it could have been a relief for her to speak up about the matter.”
Advertising professional R. Venugopal says, “Bhavana finally opening up about her experience is a good thing. It reflects her boldness. It proves that she is not afraid to speak up about it. But, from an advertising point of view, I think it is a forced connect. A tea brand doing this doesn’t look right. If the commercial was somehow related to women empowerment or a CSR activity, it would have been more ideal.”
Actor and activist Jolly Chirayath adds, “The presence of a woman has always been capitalised, whether they have undergone torture or not. The only positive angle I see here is that Bhavana is telling people that women can face any challenge. It is our right to decide how we should address our body. How others see it is according to their own limitations. And, when it comes to advertising, people always look at encashing on anything.”
However, Shailesh Gupte, vice-president of Pinwheel, the agency that conceived the concept for the commercial, feels that any controversy over the issue is unwarranted. “It was the decision of both the brand and the client. I think, the brand stands for strong tea. There was no debate on how it should be represented. “We all thought Bhavana was a wonderful example for toughness and strength. It is an ode and salute to strong women.”
