MUMBAI: Taking forward its legacy of addressing purposeful subject through #UnitedBy series, United Colors of Benetton presents a thought provoking digital film #UnitedByHarmony to showcase how a simple act of compassion and mutual understanding can allow a nation as diverse as India, to co-exist in harmony and peace. United Colors of Benetton commemorates India’s 73rd Independence Day by spreading this simple yet powerful message of uniting the nation through simple acts of harmony with a heartwarming digital film. Inspired by a true story of a Delhi resident, Sania Ahmad, showcases a simple yet profound act of inter-faith harmony that takes place in a Muslim locality during the Hindu festival of Navratras. The film recognizes the thoughtful and honest effort of a girl who in her own little way is spreading a powerful message. Through this the brand intends to inspire the whole nation and create a path for national integration!
The film opens with a view of a fully lit and decorated Hindu temple wherein a group of individuals, clad in traditional clothes sing religious songs accompanied with musical instruments, at a high volume. Suddenly everyone stops and takes a pause, when one of the elder members takes a look at his watch and urges the others to do so too. A hush falls upon the temple as the devotees go quiet in the middle of the ‘bhajan’. As the film progresses, it indicates, that the sudden silence was exercised by the large Hindu devotees in the temple to allow the ‘Azaan’ (Islamic call to worship) from the nearby mosque to be heard by the devout Muslims without any disturbances. The film ends on this emphatic and graceful note that when there is a genuine intent to respect and co-exist in peace, all it takes is simple thoughtful acts like these to bind the diverse social fabric of this nation in unity, harmony and empathy.
Speaking about the film, Mr. Sundeep Chugh, CEO, Benetton India Pvt. Ltd, said: “As we mark India’s 73rd Independence Day, we are still striving to achieve holistic unity and peaceful co-existence. There are many Indians who work tirelessly to keep together the social fabric of our nation, #UnitedBy is a salute to their efforts.
Benetton’s new campaign, UnitedByHarmony is our heart-felt and sincere attempt to showcase how each one of us has the power to stand up against the divisive landscape by simply being thoughtful and respectful towards others who might have a different belief system than our own.
Benetton strongly believes in highlighting the social causes and knitting the diverse colors of India together promoting national integration! We will continue to celebrate the true heroes of our nation with our iconic series of #Unitedby.”
Crafting a strong journey, Benetton India released its first India centric short film #UnitedbyPlay three years ago on Independence Day 2016, using the two biggest influences in a country that is obsessed with hero worship – Cricket and faith. #UnitedbyPlay was followed by an emotional video #UnitedByFaith that was released in 2017 depicting the endearing story of an unsung hero - Noorul Hasan, a Muslim resident in Lucknow who gave up a part of his house to restore an abandoned old Hindu temple that he shared a wall with. In 2018, Benetton India once again took a strong stand for ‘Unity’ showcasing the different perspectives of two generations as they explore the concepts of diversity and national unity through their campaign #UnitedByHope.
#UnitedByHarmony, as a campaign urges the citizens to share their story of harmony, peace and brotherhood on the social handles of Benetton India- one of which in turn will stand a chance to become the next film in the #UnitedBy series 2020
