How Did Piyush Pandey Select Shimona Rashi, The Cadbury Girl, Who Later Went On To Become Iconic?

Piyush Pandey was a legend who revolutionised Indian advertising with his raw, desi touch. He ruled the advertising world for four decades with his jingles and campaigns. His campaigns, like Asian Paints’ “Har khushi mein rang laaye” and Fevicol’s “Jor laga ke haisha,” are still among the most loved ads.

But the one that has won millions of hearts is the Cadbury ad. The popular 90s ad featured a beautiful woman watching a cricket match with bated breath. Dressed in a blue coloured floral dress, she dances her heart out on the field when her favourite player wins the game. Her childlike joy wins everyone’s heart instantly, and she soon became iconic.

Do you know how Piyush Pandey came up with the popular Cadbury ad and zeroed in on Shimona Rashi to play the part of the free-spirited girl? Read on to know more.

Piyush Pandey composed the jingle of Cadbury on his boarding pass

Before the popular 1994 Cadbury advertisement, the chocolate was meant to be a treat for kids, often given as a gift. It was not something that a grown-up would devour. So, Ogilvy was tasked with rebranding Cadbury and making the chocolate cool for grown-ups.

While Piyush was on his Diwali break, he got a call from his boss. A panic tone, he tells Piyush about Cadbury’s latest campaign and also tells him that if they won't be able to impress the brand, they might just lose the account. Piyush books the next flight to Mumbai and starts penning his thoughts on the Cadbury jingle.

As Piyush Pandey is known for keeping it raw and real, he jotted down the lyrics on his boarding pass. The lines of the jingle were “There's something so real... in everyone. There's something so real... ask anyone.” The legendary jazz musician, Louis Banks composed the tune in just 15 minutes, and the English version was sung by Gary Lawyer.

Piyush created the Hindi version of the ad, keeping his Indian audience and their emotions in mind. He kept the music the same and rewrote the lyrics in Hindi. Indian singer Shankar Mahadevan was approached to sing the Hindi version, and with his classical touch, he created magic for the jingle, Kuch Swaad Hai.

How did Piyush Pandey select Shimona Rashi as the face of the Cadbury advertisement?

Just as the simple lyrics, Piyush Pandey wanted a girl-next-door for the advertisement. He didn’t want a stunning model or a dancer; he wanted a girl who could embody uninhibited joy, keeping herself raw and real. He zeroed in on Shimona Rashi, the stunning face, who wasn’t a model or a professional dancer.

She danced to the jingle without any choreography and just being herself. The ad was shot at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, and Shimona’s part was done in a single take, without any retakes or rehearsals. Her twirl, turn, and half-spin were just like what Piyush envisioned. She became an iconic face, and even today, people cannot help but smile when they see the iconic ad.

Have you seen the 1994 Cadbury advertisement? Let us know.

Also Read: Piyush Pandey's Death At 70, Meet The Man Behind Iconic Fevicol And Cadbury Ads, Branded PM Modi

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