Spot Light | Bachpan Bachao Andolan
The script gets lost in creating a poetry of visuals
Losing the plot
Reviewer: Priti Nair
Campaign
Non-governmental organization Bachpan Bachao Andolan’s latest ad campaign, Don’t Look Away, by PaapiPet Pictures highlights exploitation in the form of child prostitution. The ad tries to create awareness about the subject through a young girl protagonist who is being pushed into prostitution in a neighbourhood teeming with people.
Your first thoughts on the ad?
It is nicely shot. The track is nice as well, but I don’t know why it’s in English.
Is this an effective way of creating awareness?
Awareness, yes; action, I am not sure. The whole thing about Don’t Just Watch—I feel that part is weak. Somewhere, the script has got lost in creating a poetry of visuals and not a more hard-hitting story of the number of bystanders who should feel equally guilty for doing nothing.
Does the song in the ad have a strong impact?
As I said, I don’t feel the song should be in English. A message of this kind needs to puncture the hearts of everyone, especially the people on the street, who have taken these kind of happenings as the way of life. They need to know as well what needs to be done.
Do you feel that creatively there is a dramatic change in the way ads with a social message are treated now, like this one, which is almost like a short documentary film?
It depends. I think everyone goes into making a film (for any category) with the intention of how differently styled I can make it. The look, the feel... Since this film was a candid view of what happens on the street, the docu-hand-held feel works.
How does this ad compare with other ads that have a social message?
The best social message ad I have ever seen in India is Bell Bajao (a campaign to stop domestic violence). Nothing comes closer. What they did was actually equip you with a simple weapon to curb domestic violence near you. It is so doable—just go ring the bell.
Any international ads in this category that have high recall value?
I remember one particular ad against drunken driving in which a little boy is constantly being seen by a man everywhere. It is almost like the man is being stalked by the child, till you realize that the person you run over will always stay with you. It really is mind-blowing and the insight is so, so true.
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