Trends have changed, and so have styles and attitudes. The one thing that has remained unchanged, though, is the spirit and fervour that Durga Puja is celebrated with. And what has also not changed is the unsung heroes who make the city pretty with decorations here and a lick of paint there in preparation for the arrival of the Goddess.
Over the decades, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman to honour these heroes has been an integral part of Durga Pujo celebrations in Kolkata since it was established in 1985.
This year, a campaign around the awards pays homage to the unsung heroes who meticulously attend to every detail, from crafting pandal decorations to rearranging furniture, ensuring that every aspect of the festival is perfect. The film is a tribute to the resourceful neighbourhood individuals who breathe life into the Sharodiya.
Created by Ogilvy, the film travels through the narrow lanes and bylanes of Kolkata, where young people upcycle and recycle items making chandeliers, repair fences to paint murals of the Goddess, and are satisfied when decorations reach a stage that can only be called grand.
The film has small, everyday moments that make Pujo everyone’s festival – young girls lending a hand with decorations, and a differently-abled woman using her feet to paint, and the neighbourhood uncle directing everyone on what goes where to create something that can only be called stunning.
Amit Syngle, MD & CEO, Asian Paints Limited, said, “Asian Paints Sharad Shamman stands tall almost four decades on due to efforts of countless artists, sculptors, devoted committee members and communities or paras at large who work diligently to make their ‘para-pujos’ special and grand. We at Asian Paints are happy to have infused thematic excellence into Kolkata Pujos and championed the cause over years. The love that we have got from the people of Kolkata is special as they fondly refer to Asian Paints Sharad Shamman as the ‘Oscars of Pujo’. Last year, this festival received global recognition when UNESCO honoured it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a milestone made possible by these heroes and paras collectively, who have worked relentlessly over decades to make their Pujos . They truly embody the heart and soul of Pujo festivities. In our 39th year of Sharad Shamman, we celebrate and pay tribute to these exceptional individuals through our heart-warming film.”
“Durga Pujo is the only time of the year when the art of love and the love of art become one and the same. The days leading up to the big festival transforms into a celebratory workshop of laughter, inclusivity and creativity. Boundaries dissolve and differences get resolved when Pujo comes knocking on the door. That’s what we have tried to show and celebrate through this film. It is an homage to the festivity of creativity,” said Sujoy Roy, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy.
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