Raah mein unse mulaqaat hogayee…jis se darte the wohee baath hogayee…
This number in Ajay Devgn’s maiden movie Vijaypath was a runaway hit with the moviegoers of India.
On the bumpy road (raah mein) in his movie career, Ajay Devgn met the film-insutry-friendly Nara Chandrababu Naidu, son-in-law of the greatest showman of the Telugu tinsel town.
Devgn, accompanied by his wife Kajol, a popular heroine, called on the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister with an offer: That the couple would be brand ambassadors to Andhra Pradesh. Naidu doesn’t leave any opportunity that comes his way. He instantly lapped up the offer and announced that the couple would be the brand ambassadors to the State.
When Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao appointed Tennis Star Sania Mirza as the State’s brand ambassador, the Telugu Desam supremo had said that his State did not require any such celebrity to be a brand ambassador. Exuding confidence in himself, Naidu had said that he would himself be the brand ambassador to the truncated State of Andhra Pradesh. This was, however, way back on August 2, 2014, soon after the new State is formed.
He had toured several foreign countries promoting the business interests of the State. However, his achievements or impressions he created among the foreign nations and investors would go into the account of the Chief Minister’s administrative and political account. They wouldn’t be counted as Brand Ambassador Chandrababu Naidu’s account.
What is the logic behind choosing Devgns?
The benefits a State can gain by appointing a celebrity brand ambassador would be different. It is a paid service: KCR paid Rs 1 crore to Sania Mirza for being the brand ambassador of Telangana.
However, Chandrababu Naidu got the Devgn couple free of cost. Naidu, who knows that there is nothing called a free lunch, also knew that the Devgns would invest in media, entertainment and creative projects in the new capital region of Amaravati. The couple may get some additional reliefs offered to establish their businesses in the creative city.
In not choosing any celebrity from Andhra Pradesh to be the brand ambassador, the Chief Minister seems to be clear that the buzz outsiders can create will have a greater impact. That too, when the offer came from the actor-couple, why should the State lose the opportunity? If the Government tries to find a celebrity and appoint such person, the cost would be heavy. For sure, Devgns are no match to the popularity of the likes of Amitabha Bacchan or Sania Mirza. Yet, the “free” tag created the necessary initial buzz.
Will this be translated into promotion is, however, a million dollar question. For, they have not been known for being bracketed along with a few top notch celebrities who make endorsements for nig ticket maketing activities of large brands. However, they could meet and broach the topic – jis se darthe the …wohee baath hogayee — with the AP Chief Minister and succeeded in their attempt.
If at all, they can bring in tangible investments, this model of making celebrities brand ambassadors with an offer to set up a business would work better. Is it akin to offering stake in a startup business for a service rendered by an employee?
