Ad man Alyque Padamsee, famed for Liril Girl and Hamara Bajaj, dies

Padamsee was also leading theatre personality, known for his productions Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar and Tuglaq

Advertising doyen Alyque Padamsee who created the Liril girl, Surf's Lalitaji and Hamara Bajaj marketing campaigns has died at 90 in Mumbai.

Padamsee was a leading theatre personality too, known for his productions Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar and Tuglaq. He played the role of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Richard Attenborough’s Oscar-winning movie Gandhi. He was given the Padmashri award in 2000.

"The greatest ads are the ones that create the greatest sales. A good ad man is a good salesman. I am a great believer of research in the early stages. After that you have to rely on the creative teams in the agency to do the right things, " he told Business Standard in an interview in 2013.

Padamsee, along with Lintas executive Neena Merchant, created the Liril Girl for Hindustan Lever's soap brand. "The beauty of the Liril Girl was that she appealed to the senses. People enjoyed seeing her, which is why she stood out," he said about the advertisement, which was conceived in 1974. 

"In other words she wanted to escape. And her shower in the bathroom was symbolic of this, where she suspended her struggles as a housewife for some time and simply enjoyed her bath," he was quoted in a Business Standard in October 2014.

"Advertising must be entertaining or, it will be ignored", he once said.

"Sorry to hear of the passing of Alyque Padamsee, creative guru, theatre personality and doyen of our ad industry. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues," said President Ram Nath Kovind on Twitter.

"Can’t say RIP to Alyque Padamsee. He will take a riot along wherever he’s headed next. Brilliant advertising mind, delightful raconteur, theatre actor. Creator of iconic Surf (Lalitaji) & Liril campaigns & many more,"  tweeted Shekhar Gupta, editor-in-chief of The Print.