Saina’s Smashing Ad Debut

Saina Nehwal has made a confident debut in a commercial for a brand of cooking oil.

Saina Nehwal has made a confident debut in a commercial for a brand of cooking oil. Though the badminton star has been a brand ambassador for newspapers and causes, her tie-up with Fortune Plus is her first with a big consumer goods company, one involving a professionally shot advertisement.

“I did not need that many retakes,” says Saina. The commercial, made by Ogilvy, shows Saina at last being able to enjoy some rich food after years of deprivation. Prateek Srivastava, Group President, South, Ogilvy, says, “For someone without much experience, she was fantastic in front of the camera. Getting sports stars to act can be difficult sometimes. There were no such obstacles with Saina.”

Saina says she does not obsessively track her calorie intake. “It depends on my hunger. Naturally, there are some things I cannot eat.”

What is her favourite prohibited food? “Aloo paranthas made by mom.”