First the good news.You do want to catch the next flight or train or bus or taxi to Gujarat after watching a set of three 60-second each commercials just released by the state government.
Amitabh Bachchan brings to bear the enormous power of his iconic status as my home state’s brand ambassador in the commercials with consummate ease. I have already been in Gujarat for the past two months and I still want to visit the Gujarat he is selling in these ads.
If you are waiting for the bad news, well there isn’t any. Not in the context of these commercials at least. What can be possibly wrong with arguably the most recognized Indian figure telling you in his emphatic yet measured voice why you should visit Gujarat? Everything about these commercials is perfectly choreographed and staged as it should be for all tourism videos.
There is not a thread loose in Bachchan’s carefully chosen attire, nor a frame lose in the three minutes of striking visuals. Be it the minimalist, Zen-like Rann of Kutch or the foaming waves of Mandvi or the lingering flames of the Somnath temple or the tobacco-hued tones of the Gir forest, everything works.
Just a quibble about this particular shot in the Rann of Kutch commercial.
Having been there I know on a moonlit evening/night it can look quite close to what it does in this frame. However, I am not entirely sure about the position of the four stars and/or planets that you, I hope, can see at the top. They look suspiciously well placed. If this is a genuine shot, then it is brilliant. That’s a huge if to cross.
Here is a word of caution for those tourists who will pack their bags to go to Gujarat after watching these commercials. There will be no expensive camera and sound crews following you. You will not be able to walk in the gentle slo-mo the way that Mr. Bachchan does. You will not experience improbably cheerful people running past you in even slower-mo. There will be no tobacco filter in front of your eyes unless you choose to wear one. Your own home videos will look nothing like these. And, most importantly, you will have to spend your own money which still may not get you the visuals which are even ten percent of what you see here. If you are fine with all that, then I think, as Mr. Bachchan says, “breathe in a bit of Gujarat” in English or “Kuchh din to gujaro Gujarat mein” in Hindi, might be well worth a try.
Just remember that nothing will happen for you on cue the way it does for Mr. Bachchan.