They are the favoured product pushers. t2 finds out what makes this girl gang say ‘aye’ to an ad appearance

Raima Sen

 

She’s the new face of: Airtel (along with friend Vidya Balan). Raima also endorses Lakme, D’damas and Sunsilk.

Why she loves doing ads: Ads increase the visibility of stars and the remuneration is a major boost too. But I don’t think offers come only when a star is popular. I have been doing ads for a very long time.

The Airtel ad (with Abhay Deol) was shot very well and I think I am looking good in it. I choose national ads over regional ones as the exposure is greater. Whatever brands I have been associated with so far are all big national names.

 

Do and don’t: I want the ad to be shot aesthetically. Director Vinyl shot the Airtel ad and he is a very renowned name in the advertising world. Whenever I am offered an ad I always see who the designer and the director are and, most importantly, what brand I am endorsing.... I have been the brand ambassador for Lakme for four years. I was with D’damas for two years and now I am contract-bound with Airtel.

 

 

Rituparna Sengupta

She’s the new face of: Nihar Naturals. Besides, Airtel, Monarch Biscuits, Keo Karpin Hair Oil, Mohini Mohan Kanjilal and Emami are also part of Rituparna’s ad portfolio.

 

Why she loves doing ads: I don’t endorse everything that comes my way. I am very choosy when it comes to doing ads. I get hundreds of offers everyday. I only do ads when the pay is good and I have proper exposure. In Calcutta people have a mindset that only models do ads. I am not a model. I am an actress and so I should be projected beautifully.

 

 

Do and don’t: I go for big brands that ensure greater exposure. And I don’t go for more than a two-year contract and then I renew it. All the brands that I have endorsed so far had two-year contracts.

 

 

 

 

 

Rachana Banerjee

 

She’s the face of: DK Basak Jewellers, Jaya Coconut Hair Oil and Minu Sari.

Why she loves doing ads: Why not? After all big stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan are doing ads. The money is very good. For a day’s shoot, we are paid almost what we get for 25 days of film shoot. Besides, ads bring you great publicity. Billboards give you huge exposure. A lot of people get to know us, even those who don’t watch Bengali films.

 

 

 

 

Do and don’t: I don’t want to endorse small products. The money has to be good. But staying in Calcutta you cannot demand big brands only.... I always go for a minimum of a year’s contract and a maximum of two years. Recently, I signed a contract with DK Basak for two more years.

 

 

 

Swastika Mukherjee

She’s the face of: Simoco Mobile, BC Sen Jewellers, Ashok Sari, Senco Jewellers and Jamini Sari.

 

Why she loves doing ads: Ads give a different kind of work exposure. It gives a different pleasure. And besides, we all look for variety. In films we are always portraying a character, while ads give us the chance to be ourselves. The action and expressions are like us. Besides, we shoot in a very short time span. People all over Bengal get to see us. It’s also an added perk because when there are offers to work in ads it means that you are famous and people would like to cash in on your celebrity image. Above all, the pay package is very good.

 

 

Do and don’t: I don’t want to do ads that cater to the masses. The ads I do are classy. The director and the photographer matter a lot to me. Vivek Das has shot all my ads. Indranil Mukherjee had shot the BC Sen ad. I always go for a one-year contract and prefer to renew it every year. I have been the brand ambassador for BC Sen and Senco for two years. I am with Ashok Sari for three years.

 

 

 

 

 

June

She’s the face of: Sunlight detergent powder, Berger Paints, Bisc Farm, Shalimar Hair Oil, Britannia Biscuit, Keo Karpin Hair Oil and Horlicks.

Why she loves doing ads: I started my career as a model. My first ad film was with ABP. I did a corporate ad with them and then offers started pouring in. Besides, it’s a lot of fun to do ads. Since the entire story is told in five to 25 seconds it makes the job very interesting. It’s also hard work because we end up shooting for three-four days for a five-second ad. And we have to look into the details very minutely. No expression can be wrong, everything has to look perfect.

Do and don’t: I always go for a two-year contract. It’s good to go for contracts otherwise people tend to take us for granted. I had done an ad at the start of my career and though they never bothered to pay me for it they still run the ad.

 

Aparajita Ghosh Das

She’s the face of: Sunrise Guro Masala, Kajal and Minu saris.

Why she loves doing ads: Ads definitely give more money. The pay package is better than serials and films. Besides, I find it very challenging as we have to get a lot of expressions right in a very short span of time. It’s a different genre and as an actress I want to do a variety of things. I have done serials, telefilms and films, and advertisements is a different world altogether. Plus personally I love watching ads. My favourites are the Nescafe, Mastercard and Vodafone ads.

Do and don’t: I don’t want to endorse brands which don’t go with my image. I am also particular about the brand. So far I haven’t been in a contract with any brand but if bigger brands approach me then I definitely will.

 

Sreelekha Mitra

She’s the new face of: Aircel. Sreelekha has done about 150 ads till date, romancing the likes of Aamir Khan and Saif Ali Khan in Coke and Lays commercials. Other brands she has worked with include Bengal Chemical, Nestle Milo and Tata Tiscon.

 

Why she loves doing ads: Ads give better exposure and good money. Besides, I find it exciting and challenging as ads have crisp short stories and are shot in just three-four days. I do ads that go with my image. I get phone calls every day to endorse local brands but I turn them down.... I have done several ads with Pradeep Sarkar (Parineeta director). Whenever he wants a Bangali face he calls me. He was looking for a Bengali actress for the Coke ad with Aamir Khan. They were auditioning people from all the metros. I gave a screen test and was chosen!

 

 

Do and don’t: I am very choosy and don’t do ads randomly. I don’t want to do small local ads that have no significance. But I am always open to offers from Pradeepda because I am very comfortable working with him and there’s a lot of mutual respect between us. Plus, his ads cater to a national audience.

 

 

 

 

Kushali Nag