Ever since its inception, back in 1985, the Asian Paints Sharad Shamman (APSS) has been inseparable from a Bengali’s Durga Pujo calendar. Without a doubt it was the first of its kind – an award instituted to recognize creativity in Durga Puja pandals. And after countless winners, celebration of unique themes and recognizing brilliant artists over three decades, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman continues to be the defining voice when it comes to Durga Pujo awards in Kolkata.
As Asian Paints Sharad Shamman steps into its 31
st year and Durga Pujo pandals in the city continue to innovate and surprise us, the need of the hour is also for more youngsters to participate in the process of Durga Pujo. The youth in Kolkata perhaps need to discover more about the spirit of Pujo, beyond the night-long pandal hopping, chowmein-rolls, adda sessions and new clothes.
To encourage and awaken the true spirit of Pujo in the hearts of today’s Bengali youth, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman has launched a new logo and released a digital film, ‘Pujo Elo Phire’. The modern and minimalist logo is a rendition of the lotus, a symbol intrinsic to Goddess Durga, with its different hued petals standing for the Goddess and her four children. The line ‘Oitijhyer Pujo, Uddiponar Utshab’ completes the new logo.
The digital film, ‘Pujo Elo Phire’ is conceived by Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai, directed by Anindya Chattopadhyay and produced by Little Lamb Films. It tells the charming story of 4 youngsters discovering the meaning of ‘their’ Pujo. Along the way, they are helped by some of Kolkata’s leading luminaries, people who have been closely associated with Asian Paints Sharad Shamman. In the process, the youngsters also help others around them redefine the meaning of Pujo.
Part documentary, part fiction and featuring a wonderful track sung by Upal of Chandrabindu, ‘Pujo Elo Phire’ points out that the perfect balance between the heritage and the modernization of Pujo can come only through the participation and involvement of the youth. The film which will be available on Social Media and the Asian Paints Sharad Shamman website, asks viewers to submit their own stories of what Pujo means to them on the Sharad Shamman Facebook page.
Fresh from the success of his debut film, ‘Open Tee Bioscope’,
Director Anindya Chattopadhyay of Chandrabindu fame says, “I was really excited about doing this film because I felt it could serve as an important bridge between the younger and older generations about the changing meaning of ‘Pujo’. ‘Pujo Elo Phire’ encapsulates our strong heritage and value systems, at the same time it allows the younger generation to take the lead and bring in their fresh perspectives. After all Durga Pujo for us is never really a religious event, it’s much more than that – a festival in the truest sense of the word.”
Producer Bauddhayan Mukherji of Little Lamb Films, whose own debut feature, the multiple-award winning ‘Teenkahon’, is currently running successfully in cinema halls quips, “Asian Paints Sharad Shamman has been instrumental in changing the Bengali aesthetics. Growing up in Calcutta in the 80s I saw the changing landscape of Durga Pujo. When this project came along, we realised it is a huge opportunity to let the younger generation know where it all began! A trip down memory lane with the goodness of oitijhyo and uddipona.”
Sumanto Chattopadhyay, Executive Creative Director, South Asia, Ogilvy & Mather, who has enjoyed working on the Asian Paints Sharad Shamman campaigns over the years, adds, “Durga Pujo and the arts are possibly the two things that are closest to a Bengali's heart. By helping raise the artistic quotient of Durga Pujo, Asian Paints has earned a special place in Kolkata's cultural landscape. ‘Pujo Elo Phire’, a film about rediscovering the essence of Pujo, is an apt vehicle to celebrate this rich association.”
Speaking on the occasion
Jaideep Kanse, General Manager, Brands, Marketing, Asian Paints Ltd. said, “Asian Paints Sharad Shamman has become one of the most anticipated cultural platforms in Kolkata today. It set the trend of celebrating creative excellence of pandals for Durgo Pujo with its awards which is heralded as most rightful in its judgment of excellence. We are extremely proud that Asian Paints Sharad Shamman has helped shape Pujo culture in Kolkata and are humbled by the respect bestowed upon us by the people of Kolkata. This film is a tribute to the spirit of Pujo and the people of Kolkata.”
So, with Pujo just around the corner, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman urges every Bengali across the world to feel Pujo in the air.
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