Why Flipkart Blew up Belongings like Fireworks for Diwali

One of the most dramatic and satisfying ways to let go of something you no longer want is to set it alight – from taking a flame to embarrassing childhood diary pages to turning old furniture to ash in a bonfire. To celebrate its Big Bang Diwali Sale, Flipkart took things a step further by blowing items up.

Diwali is synonymous with bright lights, fireworks and drama, so the team at FCB Kinnect knew they had to come up with something that holds big energy. “We wanted the explosions to resemble ladi and phuljhari (Indian firecrackers) to capture the joyous Diwali vibe,” says Neville Shah, CCO at FCB Kinnect. “But as well as the festive feel, we wanted to tie in the emotional mix of frustration and satisfaction that comes with letting go of old things” – a nod to the fact that Diwali is as much about starting fresh as it is about celebration.

In the ad, directed by Akanksha Seda and produced by Good Morning Films, dated electronics, threadbare clothes, and creaky furniture finally get their grand send-off. Shot in slow motion, the items theatrically explode into pieces to the sound of well-loved track, 'Intehaan Ho Gayi Intezaar Ki', bringing on feelings of nostalgia.

“The explosion scene was a bit chaotic at first,” Neville says. Originally shot on farmland, the entire field was a washout when it unexpectedly rained. “The explosives got damp, and the shots weren’t as dramatic as we’d hoped. So, we ended up reshooting indoors to get it exactly how we envisioned it.”

Figuring things out as they went, the whole team, including the client, got involved to bring their idea – which stemmed from a chance conversation – to life. “We didn’t start with this script at all but the visual of things blowing up paired with a really old, nostalgic song stuck with everyone,” Neville says.

“The crew really thought on their feet during the shoot and turned chaos into something beautiful.” Watching the final film now is “pure joy”, he says.

To mitigate some of the environmental impact of the shoot, the team ensured “a controlled explosion with minimal smoke and no gunpowder,” Neville explains. “We also limited retakes as much as possible.”

On top of this, much of the smoke, sparks and fire in the film were added in post – “that’s where the real magic came in,” Neville says. “But I can’t reveal too much, because if I do, it’ll be like showing people how the magician performs the trick, and that’s no fun.”