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DIRECTED BY
Pushpendra Nath Misra

Dharti ke Laal
This ad provided director Pushpendra Nath Misra the opportunity to collaborate with MTV’s Cyrus Oshidar, someone he had long admired for MTV’s humorous and fresh content. Misra, eager to explore humour, conceived the idea of a spot centred around India’s paan-spitting culture. After several brainstorming sessions, Oshidar suggested the concept of a band of brothers whose paan-filled spit could even defeat royal canons.
Filmed in Banaras with parts shot in Rajasthan, the shoot required meticulous planning due to limited resources. In just two to three days, 7-8 spots were filmed using rented properties. The casting was crucial, with local actors scouted, including a first-time actor chosen based solely on his photograph. The Maharani was played by Misra’s AD, Shrinkala. This humorous take on paan became a New York Festival finalist and remains one of Misra’s favourite works.