27th EPISODE: When I picked today’s MUMBAI MIRROR ( it comes free with Times of India), I was thinking of which episode to share in
SUSHMITA SEN (Picture- movies.ndtv.com)
my weekly Advertising & Marketing blog. I saw the article on 1998 Femina Miss India Ms. Smriti Irani. And In remembered the incident of 1994.
The incident involves Harbinder Singh, that time my creative team member and art director in HTA (35 Jhandewalon, Rani Jhansi Road), the client ITC Welcomgroup and me. And I may get few dates wrong.
29th May 1994. I was woken up with the shrill sound of my phone. It was Sunday, a day when I wanted to sleep a bit longer. I picked up the phone and heard my dear art director colleague at HTA, Harbinder Singh almost shouting at the other end.
HARBI Kotu (that’s what people called me) paper padha, did you read today’s TOI
ME NO- it’s Sunday Harbi, kya hua (what happened)
HARBI Abbey padh, read the paper today
ME What’s the big deal Harbi
HARBI You know Sushmita Sen
ME You mean the one who won Miss Universe last week
HARBI Saale, aur kitni Sushmita ko Zanta hai (How many Sushmita Sen do you know)
Not that I knew Sushmita Sen, but her winning the Miss Universe Crown for India, had made her the household name.
HARBI Abbey, aapney interview mai , tere merey barrey mai likha bola hai usney (She has spoken about you and me in her interview)
ME Kya baat kar raha hai. Paagal ho gya hai kya (What rubbish are you talking? Have you gone mad)
HARBI Remember our ITC WELCOMGROUP shoot
ME Yes, but what that go do with it
HARBI Listen Kotu Usmey Rashmi Virmani model coordinator thi ( Rashmi Virmani was the model coordinator)
ME Haan. Srifort key pass uska office tha. Toh kya (Yes, the one who lives near Srifort, so what)
HARBI Hamney Agra Sheraton swimming pool wale shot key mast ladkiya deeki thi (We saw girls with good assets for the Agra swimming pool shoot)
I was not really sure where this conversation was heading.
ME Hai deekhi thi. Saale tuney Mazak Mazak mai 2 piece pahna diya tha sabok. Aur finally Monika Wadhawa (seem I remember the name) ney modeling kit hi. (Yes I remember, just for fun you made them wear two piece for final selection and finally Monica Wadhwa did the shot)
HARBI Yes, Yes, Kotu you are right.
ME So,
HARBI Abbey saale, jin ladkiyo ko humney reject kiya tha, unmey se eek Sushmita Sent hi, Patli si, tuney Kaha tha- ismey toh kuch bhi nahi hai- swimming costume shot kya khak hogo (One of the girls we rejected was Ms. Sen and I remember you saying- she does not have anything top or bottom- how will she do the swimming pool shot)
ME Harbi, I never said anything like that, but how are you sure it was Sushmita
HARBI Abbey kotu- aapni nazar hai- eek baar dekh liya toh bhultey nahi. (I have sharp eyes and memory, once I see anything I remember)
ME Aur kaisey pata usney humarey baarey mai bola- naam toh liya nahi hoga (How do you know she was referring to us? She would not have quoted any names.
HARBI No she did not quote names, but she said ‘Last year when I was working, one of the art director in the biggest agency in Delhi rejected me saying I did not have the assets for a shoot’ She was definitely talking about you and me
ME Harbi, forget it. Listen don’t tell this to anyone. The client, Sunil Sareen if he comes to know of it- he will kill you and me. We would have had Ms. Universe in our campaign at hardly any cost?
HARBI OK, Par Yaar. Miss Universe ko dekha itney pass sey. . Kuch toh karvaya hoga- peechley saal toh kuch bhi nahi tha. (OK, We saw Miss universe form so near. She must have got something done. Last year she really had no assets.)
HARBINDER SINGH
Leaving Harbi to his own images and fantasies. I wanted to go back and sleep. But, Miss Universe news was playing in my
SANJEEV KOTNALA
Early 90’s
mind. Was that really Sushmita, I could not place her face in the list of Girls we had auditioned at Rashmi’s modeling office. Not sure, if it was really we she was speaking about or some other incident. The thought was nice and Harbi was happy.
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I am personally a big fan of Ms Sushmita Sen – her work and attitude towards life. Still today she is so lovingly beautiful and gracious
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In case you have some advertising marketing episodes to share connect with me at facebook ( sanjeev Kotnala ), Twitter ( s_kotnala) or write in to netkot@yahoo.com
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OTHER EPISODES IN ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
● Thank You ● Rain Clause – I ● Lethal Combination ● APPETITE ● Puncture ● Adultery- the moment ● I am Sankar ● The Count ● Introduction ● Time Bomb ● Small Tile ● Shoot Report ● Sardar Khush Hoga ● Shoot At Mud Island ● Kaali Peeli Picture ● Upgrade ● Juhi Effect ● Power Of Punjab ● Out ● Two More ● Eleven Minutes ● The Cherry Win ● The Presentation ● Black Gold ● Buffered ● Continue With Client ● Not Fired ● One Less Decision ● The Ghost Of 35 Rani Jhansi Road Jhandewalaon ● The Problem ● Imported Art Card ● Banyan Tree Agency
