THE TIMES OF INDIA | A Day in the Life of Chennai | 2009
A cardboard cutout goes from movie star to politician. In the end, only the crows remain / THE TIMES OF INDIA "A Day in the Life of Chennai"
A life-size cardboard cutout is born in the morning and dead by night. In just 90 seconds, you see the true face of the city of Chennai — no wonder it won India's first Film Gold Lion at Cannes.
The problem
In Chennai, movies and politics are two sides of the same face. Actors turning into politicians is an everyday thing — both the state's chief minister and the opposition leader were once actors. The front page of the newspaper covers politics, the back page covers movies. The Times of India had just launched its Chennai edition in 2008, and needed to show, in time for the city's 369th birthday, that it understood this city better than anyone.
The insight
JWT focused on the life-size cardboard cutouts standing all over the city. Whether it's a movie star or a politician, both end up as cutouts on the street. The team realized that following one cutout through a single day would reveal Chennai's two-faced nature exactly as it is.
The idea
The cutout climbs the ladder of stardom as a movie star, bathed in milk and showered with flowers — then, right at the interval, it switches to a political rally. It hops from party to party, comes back as a villain, gets its effigy burned by fans and pelted with cow dung, and finally ends up standing in a rice paddy with no face left at all. By then its only fans left are crows. The piece was released as the music video for "Naaka Mukka," a huge hit by music director Vijay Anthony.
What happened
It won India's first Film Gold Lion and a Film Craft Gold Lion at Cannes Lions, and the Lotus Roots Grand Prix at Adfest.
Afterthought
Glory and downfall are both just part of this city's "one day." That mix of resignation and affection feels like exactly the stance a newspaper takes. The lingering image of that faceless cutout standing in a rice paddy, surrounded by crows, stays with you long after. Senthil Kumar, pure genius.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2009
