A glass of steaming milky syrupy tea is best served cut. One by two or two by three, it embodies the spirit of sharing and camaraderie (and more significantly a resource crunch). Come, have a sip.
Quite a long while ago when I had initiated (and now reviving) the Fantastic Females series on this blog, the name Lisa Ray was on the top of the list of all the fantastic females that I wanted to feature.
While a comprehensive post on Lisa Ray will take quite some effort to put together, here's an ad when Lisa made men's formal wear look irresistibly hot.
This ad (one in the series of many) for Bombay Dyeing's Vivaldi readymade garments for men didn't have any of the skin show that we generally tend to associate with Sexy Indian Ads. But it is a worthy addition to the collection.
Earlier, in my excitement, I had confused Aliya Knightley for Lisa Ray (Hope, I haven't repeated the error. The two look so similar.)
One of the highlights of the Mahabharat (you can watch the complete episodes of the original TV serial here) was Draupadi's cheer haran. And one of the wittiest Bollywood movies Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron also incorporated that in the climax.
Ekta Kapoor's tried to add a twist to the great epic with her Kahani Hamare Mahabharat Ki and instead of beginning from the beginning, she started the serial with Draupadi's cheer haran. The serial bombed.
If we conduct a poll on the most memorable scene from the Mahabharat, I doubt if anything else can pip the tale of the endless saree.
I found an (amusing) ad on the same theme. While logic says they should be selling sarees with the idea, it is for a brand of blouses - Citizen Sweety Blouse.
Playing the role of Draupadi is Preeti Jhangiani, the Chui Mui girl (I'll prefer to remember her for thosevideosonly). They had also roped in the original Shakuni, Gufi Paintal. So powerful is the impact of the colourful blouses that the blind King Dhritrashtra's eyes pop out (aankhe phaad phaad dekha). Aap bhi dekho.
The Seven Deadly Sins, in a way, summarises a day in the life of the Chaiwallah. And they sound so much more appealing in Latin: luxuria (lust), gula (gluttony), avaritia (greed), acedia (sloth), ira (wrath), invidia (envy) and superbia (pride).
Envy - Be thy neighbour's envy Lemax The Jean Co.
Gluttony - Bite more than you can chew Lemax The Jean Co. Greed - Want more than you shall need Lemax The Jean Co.
Lust - Leave a lusting impression Lemax The Jean Co.
Pride - Narcissism be thy religion Lemax The Jean Co.
Sloth - Thou shall love inertia Lemax The Jean Co.
Wrath - Thou shall not hold back thy fury Lemax The Jean Co.
And in case you haven't noticed, there is an apple (partially eaten) in each of them. Apple - the original sin.
A couple of other Seven Sins ads from other countries:
Seven Sins on five floors Harvey Nicols Beauty
(Harvey Nicols is an upmarket department store chain)
The Seven Deadly Sins Seven special programmes to lead you astray 13ème Rue The Crime Channel
(13ème Rue is a French cable channel)
Algida Magnum 7 Sins
The language might be different, but we get the meaning. Magnum had also released individual ads focussing on each of the Seven Deadly Sins.
(Algida is Wall's, the ice-cream manufacturer, in Italy)
And if these ads have tickled your inner sinner and now you want delve deeper. Here's, for you, Frederick Rogers' 1907 book The Seven Deadly Sins:
Hunky John Abraham and dusky Jiah Khan in a commercial for Wrangler Jeans. Both get close and closer. Fingers slip into the belt loop, hands get beneath the thighs. And given Jiah's penchant for water she wants to do it under the shower. But John has other plans - a long run away in a bathtub on the riverside. "Do It Your Way - Wrangler".
One of the highlights of the Mahabharat (you can watch the complete episodes of the original TV serial 
