The Much Awaited Moment

I recently saw and immediately fell in love with the new "Your Moment is Waiting" Add for Kerala Tourism. Parallely, I read lots of criticism against this add most of which expressed concern about how the add did not depict the essence of kerala, especially in terms of enough greenery, backwaters and beaches.

However, what I felt was that the add depicted all these elements and more in a very surreal, dream like, mystery filled and interesting manner

This is the day of the intelligent and aware traveller. Anyone planning a trip these days wouldn't just pick up a picture book, see pretty pictures and select randomly. People consult travel agents, do thorough studies on the Internet and basically know exactly what there is to be seen and explored, while visiting a new destination. Also, today's travellers are more often than not young, stressed out executives looking for some fun, relaxation, family time and most importantly needing soul searching and trying to find themselves. Assuming KT had this target population in mind while shooting this add, I believe the travels and experiences of the young female protagonist depicted here, hits these right spots.

It intrigues, piques ones curiosity and leaves the viewer with a sense of awe and mystery.

What I liked most about this add is what I think also got the most criticism - the absence of the obvious and apparent. Instead of an "on your face" picture-book depiction of a kathakali face, an elephant ride, a house boat ride in the backwaters, a beach with lots of coconut palms and so forth, the video has laid more focus on the fresh and the different. These same aspects have also been dealt with a much more subtle and mystic hand making it all feel like an untouched, unexplored paradise waiting to be explored by You, the viewer. Instead of making kerala look like the picture book and us, the viewer looking at it from outside, the video has stressed on actually getting in and experiencing "Your Moment".
In its own subtle manner, the add actually does depict kathakali - though as being performed by an unadorned artist in a typical kerala house discovered by the protagonist while exploring narrow, unobtrusive country lanes;
It gives a feel of the ayurveda in the starting shots with a beautiful beach on the background, transporting one literally to paradise;
It takes one through the scenic, serene backwaters - not on a house boat but shown as the protagonist rowing a narrow boat on a journey to find oneself and discovering;
It touches on other art forms like the thaiyyams in a manner that makes one want to know and share the secrets too;
And finally it depicts the strength, serenity and calmness of the elephant in its final shots.

I request all those that didn't see these elements, to take a look again with an open mind and a different eye...I am sure you shall be as touched by the magic in it as I was...

That was a longish way to say "I loved it" and it makes me proud. Kudos to Kerala Tourism and the add developers for the imagination and guts to come up with something so different and fresh.