Movie promotions are increasingly getting offbeat. Moving away from the formula of music videos, and roadshows, we have seen a different crop of promos such as actors in disguises (Aamir Khan for 3 Idiots), the lead pair reading news (Bunty aur Babli) and other quirky promotions.
Now, comes a movie promo that enters a farming arena. The team behind the upcoming Kannada movie ‘Kshamisi Nimma Khaateyalli HanaviIlla’ (Sorry, there is no money in your account) is launching the promotion of the movie through a unique contest involving the de-husking of white arecanut (betel nut).
This will take place in the premises of the arecanut cooperative TSS Ltd in Sirsi of Uttara Kannada district on February 20. Vinayaka Kodsara, the director of the movie, told BusinessLine that the entire movie is based on the life of a young arecanut farmer. Hence there is obvious synergy in conducting such a promotion. De-husking is one of the important steps in the preparation of white arecanut.
Filming in a field
The movie was shot in the arecanut-growing areas of Malnad regions in Shivamogga district of Karnataka with Digant, Aindrita Ray and Ranjani Raghavan in the lead roles.
On the team’s association with TSS (Totagars’ Cooperative Sale Society) Ltd, he said one of the leading ladies in the movie is involved in the process of de-husking white arecanut. TSS Ltd was an apt choice for conducting such a contest as it is a household name among farmers in the Malnad areas of Uttara Kannada.
Many small towns in the arecanut-growing Malnad regions now have TSS supermarkets apart from the presence of its procurement network.
Stating that it will be mutually beneficial for both the cooperative and the movie, he said: “Today we need stars to reach a brand to the people. In the same way, we need an institution for the stars to reach people.”
Ravish Hegde, General Manager of TSS Ltd, told BusinessLine that the movie’s theme matches with the activities of the cooperative. Significantly, India leads the world in arecanut cultivation and within the country Karnataka accounts for the largest share of the crop.
Vinayaka Kodsara said that apart from the arecanut de-husking competition, one of the leading ladies from the film will be seen cooking in the Bhat’n’Bhat YouTube channel. With around 6.92 lakh subscribers, Bhat’n’Bhat YouTube channel (managed by twin brothers Sudarshan Bhat and Manohar Bhat) focuses on the preparation of native food items of coastal Karnataka.