Magical persona

AGKSPEAK

Actor Paresh Rawal adds life to commercials

What I've liked
Occasionally, I take a break from my routine of talking about a recent ad that I've liked and step back to praise an entire body of work, like I did with the Johnson & Johnson ads and the Aamir Khan-Coke series. I do it again, in this column.

The subject of my admiration is none other than the veteran actor "� Paresh Rawal. He has starred in a number of recent TV commercials and in every single one of them, he infuses an undeniable magic that pulls the whole ad through.

Whatever be the product, pizzas, mobile phones or a soft drink, it's difficult to imagine what the ad would sound and feel like if any other actor were to play the part.

Because Paresh Rawal manages to take the role and play it with such easy familiarity and unmistakable flair, that even ordinary scripts spring to life when he is in them. The Rasna Ghar ka Nimbu Paani is a recent example.

Playing the part of the 'foreign-returned' Indian, Paresh Rawal huffs and puffs as he adjusts to his trip 'back home'. He is then 'administered' a glass of good-old ghar ka nimbu paani which manages to bring him back to earth.

It is a typical problem-solution/before-after film by definition, but add a dash of Paresh Rawal and there you have it "� an instant 30-second entertainer.

What I've learned
Smashan vairaagya and the art of detachment
'What is the greatest miracle?' asked the Yaksha of Yudhishtir in the Mahabharata. Yudhishtir replied, 'The fact that all of us are mortal and yet we believe we are immortal and spend all our lives accordingly'. I was sharply reminded of this when my sister-in-law passed away a couple of weeks ago.

After twelve days of rituals the mind is numb with the reality of Death. Despite this eventuality, we spend all our lives trying to control the outcome of every little thing we do. While it is necessary to be passionate and to take ownership of everything you do while you are doing it, once the job is done detachment must take over.

Both pleasure and reward lie in the 'action'. You have to learn to let go of your creation just as eventually you have to detach yourself from your existence. There is a direct parallel here. Letting go gracefully has many advantages.

agkbrandconsult@yahoo.com