Rin celebrates India's first Olympic fencer in its latest TVC

Rin celebrates India's first Olympic fencer in its latest TVC

Bhavani Devi became the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Bhavani_Devi

Mumbai: Rin, one of the oldest detergent brands from the house of Hindustan Unilever has unveiled its latest commercial celebrating the rise of India’s first woman fencing champion, C.A. Bhavani Devi. Earlier in March, Devi scripted history by becoming the first-ever Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics to be held in Tokyo next month.

The TVC dwells on the Chennai-born athlete’s journey of grit and determination through the struggles to keep her sporting dreams alive. Fencing being an expensive sport, she had no access to good equipment during her initial years. The ad conceptualised by Ogilvy India showcases the sacrifices made by her parents so she never had to compromise on her training. In the one-minute-long film, Bhavani, who is the youngest of five siblings recounts how her mother pawned her jewellery when the going got tough so that she did not have to give up on her passion for fencing.

Narrating her story, the video begins with the fencing champion addressing the viewer with a disarming question ‘Have you ever given away gold to earn gold?’ Hailing from a middle-class background and having chosen a relatively lesser-known sport of fencing, Bhavani had to endure not just financial hindrances but also gender stereotypes and jibes from society on nurturing ‘affluent ambitions’.

The film showcases Bhavani Devi clinching the gold medal in the Sabre event at the Senior Commonwealth Fencing championship 2018 held in Canberra, Australia. In the process, Devi also became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the Commonwealth championship.

The 'Ab Waqt hai chamakne ka' (Now's the time to shine) campaign concludes with her triumphant, but heartwarming declaration, “Dekho maa, main sona vapis le aayi.” (Look mom, I got your gold back).

The film, produced by Little Lamb Films and directed by Bauddhayan Mukherji, showcases the athlete’s stubborn confidence in herself and her ability to make it big, despite humble beginnings.

Commenting on the campaign launch, Hindustan Unilever Ltd Home Care- executive director & VP Prabha Narasimhan says, "Rin has been an integral part of Indian households for over five decades now and has stood for people who are unwilling to be defined by preset roles and have the courage to pursue their dreams, undeterred by their socio-economic backgrounds. The brand stands for supporting and celebrating the progress seeker, individuals who pursue their dreams and demonstrate courage to rescript their destiny. Through our latest campaign, 'Ab Waqt hai chamakne ka', we endeavoured to showcase the glorious journey of Bhavani Devi, her mother's sacrifices, and their collective success and in the process inspire millions of others to keep persevering in their dreams, despite the odds. The essence of our brand aligns beautifully with such extraordinary stars who have risen from ordinary lives.”

He adds, “We salute Bhavani for her dedication and wish her good luck as she prepares to represent India in Olympics 2021.”

Having booked her berth for the Olympics, the champion fencer is now all set to make her mark in the international event.