Jazz Apna Hai, Par Model Indian Hai

Are you a cricket fan? If so, keep yourself updated on everything related to PSL with these pages: PSL Live Score PSL Points Table PSL Schedule PSL Highlights PSL Statistics

In a recent campaign, Mobilink introduced new tagline ‘Jazz Apna Hai’ for its prepaid brand. Reportedly its TVC was shot in India, moreover it was directed, acted and produced by Indian crew.

It is not the first time that a Pakistani Telecom Company has used Indian production house for its media campaigns; but casting Indian models is considered somewhat a bold step by Mobilink.

We see the trend rising, as we witnessed Kareena on billboards and hoardings for Firdous Textile, Amitab Bachan for a Quiz Show and then Deepika Padukone in another advert for a textile firm – where would this end?

When we talk about business, signing an Indian model is entirely legal and clash less with any rules of the land, however, question arises if this practice by multinational companies is going to hurt the local industry? Answer is very straight forward and is YES.

When we spoke to an advertising expert, who requested anonymity, said that there is no doubt about talent in Pakistan, if we talk about technical facilities, we don’t lack there too.

He emphasized that Pakistan has world class producers who have produced high class music videos, even better than Indians, then why can’t we produce TVCs? He said that this ongoing trend of signing Indian models is going to hurt local industry at large, particularly in a scenario where Pakistani industry is already suffering.

He gave the example of Warid that recently signed film actress Saima for one of its campaign. He argued that Saima did better than of this Indian lady.

When asked about advantages of getting a TVC produced in India, he re-collected his words and said its only about professionalism that differentiates both the industries . A TVC is shot in minimum deadline in India, where processes are so smooth and sequel that it hardly takes 2/3 days for completion of a TVC.

He urged Pakistani companies should sign local talent and promote it, with good intent.

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • I dont see any problem in it. By the way, its open market and our actors can compete in the market. Most of good advertisements are even made in India for Pakistani companies because they have technology & competitive edge over Pakistani advertisement companies.

    If our singers can compete excellent in Indian market then we should allow others also to compete in Pakistani market. No one can grow by putting restrictions. We should accept this as challenge and work hard to prove our self.

  • Now I like http://mashable.com/ and http://techie-buzz.com/ for technology news… Can you blame me that why I am reading Indian and foreign blogs for it..why I am not reading regularly Pakistani blogs? No, I like them because their quality and news covers every thing. Mostly not bothers about bonuses and hiring and firing inside companies. Not bothers a lot about internal matters of companies.

    Anyway, Pakistani bloggers have to do lot to achieve real quality in their posts. Your blog is doing good job and hope to see it as best blog of Pakistan in technology news. I wish your blog name could reflect that it is related to technology and telecom. :)

  • dude..uindia gets business because they good at it.. its cheaper to produce in india for the same quality as it is in karachi.. so they get business..

    but it is very much the opposite in Music, when we produce well, they pick it up.. numerous examples at hand from Rahat to Atif.. so please take nationalism out of it..leave it for General’s politics!

    • using Indian Production house can be considered a technical and financial glitch, however, an Indian Model in ad is not very appreciative on Mobilink’s part.

      • yaar, would you lke if some indian says the same for Atif or Rahat or so many of our talented people.. come on yaar, it is good business and nothing more.. we really need to see india as a potential market.. we are a relatively small country..it is in our best interst to go make profit out of India like rest of the world..

        as for the model… i think she got the job since it was a cheap ad.. in advertising if you are not recruiting a star.. than it really doesnt matter who you are recruiting..:)

        i am not defending mobink here.. i am only saying that we should look at corporates as pure bisinesses with no national interst(they are not pakistani in the first place). that is the reality, and then we should push for better and cost effective tallent.. that is the only right way in a capatalist world.

        BR
        usman

  • Dear Aamir, what’s ur take on your beloved Telenor easy paisa campaign, they entire TVC as was filmed in India with their actors.

  • its bad that we associate businesses with geograhical and regional confinments, telenor has faced such things too

    but if mobile companies know the taste of their audiance and that they may not accept it then why dont they refrain it?

  • I think hame apne mind ko thora open rakhna chahiye
    jab hamare singers india ja k bari bari films me gatay hain to ham ko boht acha lagta hai or phir is qisim ki batain hoti hain k artists are ambassodors in ka koi border nahi hota, so what k pakistani ads mai agr indian model agai.

    • First Boycott PEPSI COLA, COCACOLA, NIKE, CITI BANK, NESTLE, and many others. Look, this patriotism not works in open market. Only Quality matters… Why people prefer KFC over HFC/FriedChic etc… Because quality matters…

      Don’t be emotional, be realistic. India have competitive edge in Media business. I liked the model of Jazz because she fit in the role.

      • What sort of this patriotism is this: Boycott! Boycott! Boycott! Boycott!

        Why don’t we work out to improve the quality of our home products, instead of boycott. Boycott is not a comprehensive solution. Rather, changing our psyche and attitude can bring significant developments.

  • c`mon guys.. where r you living at ? still thinking about India v/s Pakistan grow up dude.. it’s media whatever they been act in Pakistan ads doesn’t matter… dats why we Pakistani still so far away from reality….. wakeup guys … think beyond this… stop being racist be yourself optimistic

  • Mobilink now has resorted to Indian ad firms to save its crumbling popularity. Why Mobilink showed utter distrust on Pakistani actors, actresses, and ad agencies is an open secret now.

    Talking of patriotism in an ad made by Indians is ironical to say the least. Mobilink must realize that Pakistanis especially urban ones are quite well informed and literate and they cannot digest these glaring contradictions so easily.

    Being a Pakistani I would like to see actors and actresses from my own country projecting a product/service. We must realize that we do not lag behind Indians in this field either. The fact is that the ad was filmed in India along with Indian actors and actresses. Does Mobilink want to say that Pakistani ad agencies are not capable of making such ads.

    Mobilink is the only Telecom operator in the country with oldest infrastructure and thus confronting tremendous technology-related problems.

    The one word definition of the erratic actions taken by Mobilink one after the other may be best termed as “ Harassing to say the least. It terminated thousands of its employees in the name of cost cutting and downsizing.

    It has projected as if those who were terminated were the ones who got terminated for what they were which is totally wrong. In the face of global recession and meltdown, many telecom giants around the world managed to secure their business interest by reducing unnecessary expenses but retaining the work force because the companies knew that the Human Resource is the real asset they need to concentrate.

    Unfortunately in unpredictable markets such as Pakistan getting fired means that your record will never again be clean.

    Mobile phones over the years have become driver of economic growth in emerging countries. However this does not warrant faux pas or does it?

    The senseless and pathetic of Mobilink is outrageous to say the least. The whole ad campaign, its new slogan “Apna hai”, actors, actresses, location and shooting paraphernalia was Indian. Being a sensitive Pakistani I have the right to ask this mobile operator why it did not consider the sensitivities of local culture and taboo therein.

    I loudly protest on this flagrant disregard of our culture and trampling of social norms.

    • BiBi, you wana see pakistani made around U then stop using these Mobile phones and subscribing these telecom companies. Why Using Mobilink/Ufone/Telenor/Warid/Zong… All are oursiders… Are you not trying to cheat yourself, if thinks that companies are cheating. Ask your businessmen to get strong like Buisnessmen of India… Reliance, Tata, Idea, Birla and lauch your own telecom companies.

      You people use europen made companies products, wears chinese or japans clothes, uses US it products and then comes here to speak that shame on this company or that company for making their add in India.

      Looks Indians, they are expanding their wings and buying telecom companies in Africa, Iraq etc. Look indians, who are running big big super stores and utility items mega markets in Middle East and rest of world. look Indians, who prefer their own products and buys from same stores…

      For God sake, make yourself first strong and then start writing such things. Our mentality is running our image in whole world. Our businessmen is born to only make short term profits and thats it. Our users are born to use foreign things but blaming on others.

    • I Also Agree With ” Mobilink is the only Telecom operator in the country with oldest infrastructure and thus confronting tremendous technology-related problems. ”

      Mobilink Promoting APNI Old Services Again And Again With New Names And Campaigns !

  • Shame on Mobilink. Isi liye to kehtay hain use Ufone cause its a complete Pakistani company…

    • Who said it is Pakistani company… First update your information and comment on discussion forums. UFONE owns by UAE Group.

  • “Isi liye to kehtay hain use Ufone cause its a complete Pakistani company…”
    Ufone belongs to Etisalat, a UAE company. But Ufone ads are top notch, all by Pakistani talent

  • shame on mobilink……………… How we can say JAZZ tou apna hai when india is saying this………..

  • Pakistani media also showing indian films & pakistani companies hiring indians as you mention, kareena, deepika & also Katrina boards for juice company.
    Jazz TV ads are not much good as compare to Ufone & telenor.

  • Mobilink might hire Paki actors but from my point of view they hired bollywood actor & actress becuase bollywood celebrities are the star of nation they do business. Mobilink gives more attention to their consumers and did’nt thinked much about paki stars…

    • waaahhhhhhhhhhahahaaaaaa!

      “our talented-rich showbiz industry”

      So, funny.

      • Hey buddy this is somewhat where I will contradict you.. check out the recent ads. India was popular of their funny ads and Faisal Qureshi with team has done really great with their different themes. They have presented Telecom related ads the way they were never pushed forward.

        Similar examples can be seen. So we should believe in our own country born talent .

  • No one disagree that this is the era of open boundaries, and everyone has the right to select whatever one likes from around the globe. Despite all the open competition, as a nation we should realize that life is full of trade off, our country has lower foreign reserve and constantly we are looking forward for some foreign investment in Pakistan. Assassinating our precisions foreign reserve on such a non productive avenues is really the curse of our society.

    Every argument is accepted in favor of open competition and free selection, but in our personal life regardless of numerous options and availabilities we observe our values, so why don’t as a nation we compromise on such things.

  • I think Mobilink is the only company who promoted Pakistani talent extensively through their promos… Every Multinational as well as local company is using media technology from India.. Now Telenor is going India whats ur thought on that whether to ban it in Pakistan.. We all are working as global village and remember United we survive… Soon Telecom companies will start sharing their strategic resources such as Telecom Tawars, lines, units etc… my Best wishes with every company who is still working in Pakistan with unworkable conditions and heatsoff to those who are still profitable while working in Pakistan..

  • Anyone working in the creative business will vouch for the professionalism, quality and efficiency of using external resources in the face of a dearth of local talent who are often too busy to meet the market demands. Using Indian crews is not even a new subject. We have all had this conversation before. Many times. Unilever through Mindshare shot an entire series with an Indian crew.

    We all remember that one due to the unfortunate incident that took place on the set. We may never see that show on air till memory serves but the origin of the crew was never an issue was it? P&G has been there. The Easy Paisa Campaign by Telenor is entirely “Made in India” and so were all the commercials produced by the company initially. DJuice ads reek of Indian accent often. Zong’s done it too with their “Chotaaaay” commercial.

    Have we forgotten Coke and Mountain dew ads? Long before that Aishwarya Rai has been on our billboards, Amna Shareef of Kashish fame has featured in our dramas and our talent has crossed the border. Am referring to Atif Aslam & Javed Sheikh. If Rahat and Shafqat lend their voice to Indian movie sound tracks does that mean India doesn’t have talented singers?

    Wonder what A R Rehman has to say about that! Why single one organization out? And why focus on an industry? I think we need more objectivity in our opinions (bloggers please take note) and not drive our content with competitive propaganda guised as patriotism. Why else would Ronaldo’s Clear ad plastered all over the country or the Brazilian lady on Gul Ahmed’s magazine cover not turn heads? Let’s fry bigger fish, meaningful things.

    • Very nice reply. Our bloggers are more concerned about when this/that company is giving bonus. When firing employee and why. This should be not business of outsiders. May be they writes because our majority likes to read crispy and propaganda kind of news. The same blogger once wrote against an other blog i.e. related to girls numbers on website…but later on this blogger removed and altered his whole post and even deleted many comments of that post… Why? Because they can not do justice with profession and then struggles. I already mentioned that why Pakistani blogs are not competing with rest of world, even with India…

      Seriously, I feel so much lack of professionalism in our society.. By God, our guys are struggling in whole world because of lack of professionalism. Our businessman is not able to even compete with in their own boundaries. Have you ever think that why Indian companies are growing so fast…Even their few blogs are now in top 100 blog of the world… Why? Please think with cool mind and learn from rest of world.

  • Sir ji i like your site due to yours resarch but i am very much disapoint to see the story

  • HEYYY!!! keep BEBO (in FIRDOUS) outta it!!!! :) FOR GOD’s SAKE!… and YES she’s much better than any local model/actress…

  • this is not appreciatable … kia hum Pakistanio main Talent nahi? answer is we are talented but fr kiun aisa karti hain yeh companies ??? Profit yahan sy earn karti hain tou Resources b yahan ki use karain …. i think hamain es tarah ki harkato par as a Nation pressure karna chahya ..


  • Get Alerts

    Follow ProPakistani to get latest news and updates.


    ProPakistani Community

    Join the groups below to get latest news and updates.



    >