Asian Paints and Ogilvy bring anime-inspired visuals to Sharad Shamman film

Asian Paints has released a new film for Asian Paints Sharad Shamman (APSS), celebrating the creativity behind Kolkata’s Durga Pujo and the power of creating something that wins hearts.

The film follows Gattu and a group of young friends as they bring their para’s pandal to life, transforming their vision into a space the community can call its own. As the familiar question, “Ebaar jitbey?” (“Will you win this year?”) follows them, the young makers focus on bringing their creation to life.

The story takes an emotional turn when an elderly resident returns to Kolkata after years away and visits his old neighbourhood’s pandal. Moved by its colours, craftsmanship and imagination, he responds simply: “Mon jitey nilo” (“It won my heart”).

The moment reflects the spirit of APSS, which has celebrated the creativity, imagination and craftsmanship behind Kolkata’s Durga Pujo, bringing the people behind the pandals into the spotlight. The film reinforces the idea that while recognition may come in the form of an award, the most meaningful reward is the lasting impression a creation leaves on people.

For the first time, Asian Paints has used an anime-inspired visual treatment, bringing a contemporary aesthetic to the story while keeping it rooted in Kolkata’s neighbourhoods, people and the emotion of coming home for Pujo.

Amit Syngle, MD & CEO, Asian Paints Ltd., said: “Durga Pujo is much more than a festival in Bengal. It is a celebration of imagination, creativity and community, where an entire neighbourhood comes together to create something that belongs to everyone. That is what has made Asian Paints Sharad Shamman so special to us for over forty years. We have always believed in bringing creativity and the people behind it to the fore, whether they are artists, artisans or the community at large who spend weeks imagining and building their pandals. And while winning an award is certainly a moment of pride, what stays with a creator is often something much simpler – the feeling that their work moved someone. That is what this film captures. With an anime-inspired visual language, we are bringing this story to a younger audience in a form that feels fresh and contemporary, while remaining deeply rooted in the spirit of Bengal. Because while the way we tell stories may evolve, the ability of creativity to move people, bring them together and win hearts remains timeless. When creativity wins hearts, it leaves a legacy. And that enduring legacy is what we fondly call Asian Paints Sharad Shamman.”

Sujoy Roy, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy North, said: “This year we decided to bring back Gattu, who went from being an Asian Paints mascot to becoming practically a pet name (daak naam) for Bengalis. The film captures everything that makes a para tick during Pujo. The planning, the pandal-making, the unsolicited advice, and that one question everyone keeps asking, ‘Ebaar jitbey?’ For over four decades, Asian Paints Sharad Samman has been celebrating the extraordinary creativity that goes into making these pandals. And what’s fascinating is that it’s the younger people who are digging deeper into tradition. They’re not just inheriting culture. They’re busy reinventing it, one pandal at a time. And beneath all the excitement of winning a Sharad Samman lies something rather simple. The sheer joy of making something wonderful together. Because long after the lights fade and the festivities end, what remains are the moments of wonder, pride and togetherness that creativity leaves behind. That is the legacy of Asian Paints Sharad Shamman.’’

For the countless people who build, decorate, paint, light up and gather around Kolkata’s pandals every year, Pujo has never been just about creating something beautiful. It is about creating something together. Something that becomes part of the neighbourhood’s memory. Something that makes people pause.

And sometimes, that is the greatest win of all. Mon jitey nilo.