Salman Khan in his 20s in a 1980s ad for Hero Honda CD100
The Salman Khan in this advertisement for Hero Honda CD100 is about 25 years younger than the superstar Salman of today and precedes his blockbuster debut in a lead role…Continue Reading →
Mithun ‘Gunmaster G-9’ Chakraborty and Kitu ‘Svetlana’ Gidwani together in an ad
Very few actresses can the match the measure of elegance and sensuality that Kitu Gidwani has. I do not recall…
Rajesh Khanna and the Red Rose in Fabina Suitings & Shirtings ad
I doubt whether the proprietors of Fabina Textiles Pvt. Ltd. watched Rajesh Khanna’s 1980 psycho-thriller Red Rose before agreeing the…
Fancy a puff from an air-conditioned cigarette?
When I first saw this ad for Caravan Air-Conditioned Cigarettes, the first thought that came to my mind was “WTF is an air-conditioned cigarette?” Guessed it could be some menthol…Continue Reading →
Watch: Helen, Queen of the Nautch Girls (and a Lux ad)
A 1973 31-minute documentary from Merchant Ivory Productions, directed and narrated by Anthony Korner on Bollywood greatest ‘item girl’ ever.…
A beardless Kabir Bedi’s long affair with Wills cigarettes
Got the first glimpse of a beardless Kabir Bedi in a Marlboro Man avatar, thanks to Memsaab. And now here’s…
The day BSA SLR helped Kapil Dev fly high
In the 1980s, Kapil Dev was India’s hottest cricket sensation. Leading India to win the World Cup immediately gave the Haryana Hurricane a label of greatness in the hearts and…Continue Reading →
Zeenat Aman is the classic Indian dark-haired beauty in 1970 Air India ad
“Memories of dark-haired beauties,” is what a traveller to India will bring back, promises a 1970 advertisement for Air India.…
The bald quartet – Gandhi, Nehru, Bose, Patel – in an ad for hair oil
This is possibly from a time when a head full of ideals was more important than a head full of…
Wills Filter cigarettes ad from 1969
Yet another addition to the ever-growing Wills Filter/Wills Navy Cut advertisements on Cutting the Chai. This sample is 1969 vintage. Each Wills Filter/Wills Navy Cut ad has a couple enjoying…Continue Reading →
Wills Filter: Made for each other
This was perhaps the most noticed (and the longest running) of all the ads in Hindustan Thompson Associates’ (HTA) ‘Made…
Molten gold, Rs 28: The ad that got Calcutta curious
The Indian lust for gold can never be quenched. Gold prices had recently crossed Rs 29,000 for 10 grams. Even…