SRK becomes marriage counsellor to Ralia in new ad for Rungta Steel

Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Alia Bhatt have reprised their movie roles for a Rungta Steel ad once again. It is the third such ad featuring the trio for the steel and TMT bar manufacturer.

In this advert, Bhatt brings back her headstrong and passionate Safeena from Gully Boy, while Kapoor reintroduces Bunny, the high-energy extrovert from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. Both characters are portrayed as a married couple seeking counselling from Dr Jahangir Khan, the psychologist Shah Rukh Khan played in Dear Zindagi.

The couple is on the verge of calling off their marriage. Safeena is annoyed at Bunny for never being at home, while Bunny defends himself, claiming he doesn’t feel safe there after a wall they were climbing to catch the sunset gave way. The solution, according to Jahangir Khan, is simple: Rungta Steel, whose strength never fails.

The creative agency Moonshot is the mastermind behind this advert. Known for its humorous use of celebrity characters, the agency has also delivered memorable campaigns like CRED’s ‘audition’ campaign during the IPL 2020, Lenskart adverts featuring Karan Johar and Kiara Advani, and its founder Peyush Bansal.

Arvind Kumar, Joint Vice President and Head (Sales & Marketing) at Rungta Steel, said in a press release: “Our steadfast endeavour has been to create campaigns that resonate deeply with our audience while showcasing the unmatched trust and durability of our products. This wouldn’t be possible without the partnership with our brand ambassadors and the continued trust of our audiences. We aim for this campaign to strengthen our brand identity as Rungta Steel continues its ambitious expansion into new markets across India.”

Bhatt and Kapoor signed on as brand ambassadors for Rungta Steel in 2022, with Khan joining them a year later. Their first ad was released in October 2023 (see above) where Khan and Bhatt essay their characters from Jawan and Student of the Year respectively, and address Kapoor with character names from his decade-plus filmography; he tries to remind them that he is playing his role from Barfi.

Your favourite movie characters are being reprised in ads; here’s why

Seeing the trio reprise their film roles in adverts reflects a trend that has gained traction over the past year and a half. Smartphone brand Oppo brought back the cast of Wake Up Sid for a campaign, while Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi revived their iconic Munna Bhai and Circuit characters for ACKO Insurance. Similarly, the cast of Sony TV’s C.I.D. has been featured in multiple campaigns. Nostalgia marketing, indeed, remains a powerful tool.