Supriya's Banter
Nawabs, Nudes, Noodles: India through 50 Years of Advertising
Author: Ambi Parameswaran
Publisher: Pan Macmillan India; Latest edition (26 May 2016)
Language: English
Paperback: 320 pages
Audio Book Narrator: Suyash Barve
Listening Length: 9 hours and five minutes
Themes: Nonfiction, broadcast and advertisement industry, True account
Ask any child born in the 70s and 80s about what they remember about the TV. I’m sure most of them will croon an advertisement jingle or two in reply. What if you could revisit those advertisements and tune into the backstories? See how they affected the product and how they evolved. To be told of our quirks and transformation through the ads, we sang along with, laughed at, debated, and sometimes even boycotted. Trust me, visiting a bygone era not through history books, but through billboards, jingles, and TV ads, cannot be more exciting or novel. This is exactly what Ambi Parameswaran offers in Nawabs, Nudes, Noodles. The true ad-world veteran, with three decades of building iconic brands, writes from his decades of experience and firsthand knowledge.
Hundreds of advertisements are touched upon—from the patriotic “Hamara Bajaj” and the cheeky “Jo biwi se kare pyaar” to the bold “Lalitaji of Surf”—each one with a tongue-catching mass-loved punchline or jingle. We see how Rasna strategically scripted its advertisement and how Zodiac Man became viral at a time when the concept didn’t even exist. Parameswaran takes you behind the scenes, sharing stories of ads that almost never aired, alternate ideas that were scrapped, and the crazy intuition that made some campaigns legendary. Parameswaran captures how advertising evolved—from simply selling soap to shaping identity, aspirations, and even politics. It’s like watching the country grow up, frame by frame, commercial by commercial. We tune in to the noodle campaign that took the nation by storm to the controversial shoe advertisement that featured two top models in their birthday suits and a snake.
The writing feels conversational. There are fun tangents and personal anecdotes, and even when he meanders off-topic, it never gets dull. Occasional repetitions are minor blips that never get in the way of a rich narrative.
That insider’s angle makes the book a page-turner—it’s interesting to know how brands shaped Indian life and vice versa, how agencies changed the consumer’s mind, or how foreign brands researched well before setting foot on Indian soil or in Indian kitchens.
I listened to the audio version. Narrated by Suyash Barve in measured yet expressive tones, the book takes on a lively rhythm.
Nawabs, Nudes, Noodles is a backstage pass into the ad industry—fun, insightful, and perfect for understanding how India’s ads jostled the nation and tapped into the middle class’s spending power.
If you’ve grown up humming ad jingles or even just paused at a clever billboard, this book will delight you.
