Old Hindi songs are making a comeback in advertising

While Instagram and social media are nudging users to revisit how they looked in 2016 through a now viral trend, some advertisers are travelling further back in time. Recent campaigns from Mahindra Thar Roxx, Fogg and Bellavita have turned to Hindi film songs from the 1970s and 1990s to anchor their storytelling.

In a less than 10-day old ad, Mahindra Thar Roxx features actor Abhay Deol driving through open roads as Aaj Ki Raat Koi Aane Ko Hai from the 1973 film Anamika plays in the background. The film introduces the Thar Roxx Star Edition, a variant that brings cosmetic updates such as a gloss black grille and alloy wheels. Rather than foregrounding specifications, the brand uses the song to establish a mood of anticipation and understated cool.

Fogg Black’s latest spot similarly leans on nostalgia. It uses Saat Samundar Paar from the 1992 film Vishwatma to frame a narrative of self confidence and attraction, with the track acting as a cultural cue rather than a background score.

Bellavita, meanwhile, has picked Yeh Dil Deewana from Pardes released in 1997. The song accompanies the protagonist’s journey from heartbreak to popularity, reinforcing the brand’s messaging around confidence and momentum.

The Mahindra Thar Roxx and Fogg films have been created by indie agency The Womb, which appears to be treating music as a character in the narrative rather than an afterthought. Young creative shop Daftar Creative Room made the spot for Bellavita. 

The return of old songs in advertising is deliberate. Familiar melodies act as instant attention hooks in a scroll heavy environment where brands have only a few seconds to stop viewers. Nostalgia triggers memory and emotion simultaneously, increasing the likelihood that audiences will stay till the end of the film on social media.

These songs also allow brands to bridge generations. For millennials, they evoke childhood and cultural memory. For Gen Z audiences, they carry ironic appeal and retro cool, often already familiar through reels and memes. This dual relevance makes older tracks a safe yet effective creative choice.

There is also a premium signalling at play. Classic Hindi film music brings with it a sense of timelessness and craft, helping brands elevate the product narrative without overtly selling features. In a post jingle era, borrowing from popular culture often feels more authentic than composing brand owned music from scratch.

Tiger Shroff loses himself to Lata Mangeshkar and Coke Zero

This approach is not new. When Coca Cola reworked Hothon Pe Bas for Coke Zero’s first India campaign in 2013, Ogilvy and production house Good Morning Films shortlisted the song after evaluating over a dozen options, underscoring how strategic music selection has become.