10:22 Monday morning, three cups of coffee in, is it wrong to be turned on by that?? :-)

huh...what the?

hey this could be a good promotional feature about the use of condoms and prevention of AIDS instead of the whacky, stereotype ADs (portraying a MOM , a DAD ,their children who are again a SON and a DAUGHTER) which show up nowadays on Doordarshan and STAR channels. The english subtitles are just great. And heres the link to the video that has been embedded above.

i've already seen this, but watching it again made my day :D

i love the nuances in this video... from the brown 'wood,' to how these teletubbies are made up like and use the gestures and expressions of folk/classical dancers (possibly kuchipudi like it used to be performed in the old days?). (but i must say, that one condom that kept popping up against the red background looked like a klansman condom)

This is hilarious! Great catchy way to get your message across. Made my entire week and drove away the Monday Blues!!!

wow, i love this. my favorite parts are Pink's solos in front of the Dubious Crowd.

also i enjoy that blue looks vaguely like a water bottle, considering the ribbing.

they go to such lengths to keep it cartoony and then *BAM* 5:45 in your face

Poor sods who danced in that video are probably not going to want to put that on their resumés. I can see that one going well: "Could you tell us more about this social awareness project you did?". "Yes, I was a giant singing, dancing anthropomorphic condom."

From memory, Brazil once had a problem like that a few years back with their Rio carnival. There was one float with topless samba dancers, then one with tasseled samba dancers, then one with body-painted samba dancers, then one with dancers modestly covered by giant condoms, and then one with stark naked dancers with the Brazilian flag colors painted around their crotch area. Everything was considered acceptable except for the giant condoms, which caused a minor controversy. WTF? Yeah, Brazil is quite Catholic. That was one of those educational cultural things for me - people in different countries get offended by different things. (There was some angle involving the Catholic church spreading misinformation about condoms in Brazil and fighting with AIDS-control organizations but I forget what it was).

10:22 Monday morning, three cups of coffee in, is it wrong to be turned on by that?? :-)

5:45 caught me off guard, as well (although I'm glad it's in there, even if only a frame), but I think this wins for best contraceptive ad EVER. I thought it was cute that one was ribbed, studded, etc.

Followup to my previous comment. Found this link re Brazil & condoms:

http://www.aegis.com/news/ips/2004/IP040227.html

Key points: The Catholic church in Brazil did apparently try to censor some floats, including one with Adam & Eve, and one showing postures from the Kama Sutra. Like I said earlier, WTF?

Nice public service. Catchy beats. And Telugu sounds like a badass language! Very liberal and blunt song and video...is rural Telugu society that open about discussing these things?

What do you mean by: 'innocent until...'? It's all about promiscuity and free sex from the start, but when it's about 'gay sex' you suddenly think it's no longer innocent. I think the clip is hilarious, but I'm not so sure about you.

No, Jean, when it mentions "gay sex" it has the only (as far as I could see) graphic image of sexual penetration. I have a feeling that that's what the reaction was to, not to "gay sex" in and of itself.

Musically, is that based on Telugu folk music? It actually sounds pretty cool.

Yeah, it isn't that it's gay, it's that suddenly there's a graphic diagram of the act. I think it's pretty great that they addressed the gays too.

10:22 Monday morning, three cups of coffee in, is it wrong to be turned on by that?? :-) Yes :)

oh good, just checking. :)

As catchy as the tune is and as cute as the condom-tubbies are, I couldn't help but worry for the dark pink condom during his solo - those dudes standing around him with crossed arms and not-happy expressions did NOT look like they were about to join in the singing and dancing.

those dudes standing around him with crossed arms and not-happy expressions did NOT look like they were about to join in the singing and dancing.

Indian audiences often stare blankly while performances are going on...it's a tough crowd.

Damn, thats awesome.

During 2002 national games, they had condoms given away for free at almost all the traffic lights, mile check points etc - I think govt has realized that the only way to control HIV is to be blunt about it.

AP supposedly has maximum number (percapita wise too) of HIV patients, apart from Mumbai redlight area.

What do you mean by: 'innocent until...'? It's all about promiscuity and free sex from the start, but when it's about 'gay sex' you suddenly think it's no longer innocent. I think the clip is hilarious, but I'm not so sure about you.

First of all, Camille is exactly right.

Second, WHOA. Please be fair enough to quote my entire statement instead of taking part of it out of context to make me sound like a homophobe. I was talking about teletubbies, childrens show stars who are colored dancing blobs similar to what we see here. TELETUBBBIES!

Otherwise, it seems so innocent, the stars of the clip reminded me of Boobah or the Teletubbies…well, until they get to the graphically illustrated part about gay sex. But we won’t go there! I mean, hasn’t Tinky Winky endured enough?

By the way, Tinky Winky is a teletubbie who was unfairly attacked by some crackpot right-winger as being gay because he was purple and carried a purse. The whole bit goes together, those three sentences. I wish you'd given me the benefit of your doubt vs given in to the temptation to assume the worst and condemn.

This video made my day!

I have a tendency to start singing songs in languages I don't actually know...guess I'll have to be careful about this one. ;)

Great post Anna, definitely made my day!

"By the way, Tinky Winky is a teletubbie who was unfairly attacked by some crackpot right-winger as being gay because he was purple and carried a purse".

"As far as we are concerned Tinky Winky is simply a sweet, technological baby with a magic bag." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/276677.stm

anyone else thinking of tubby custard! :)

I got through like half the video before it hurt too much to laugh, so I sent the link to all my friends.

When I was a kid they used to have these commercials (or public awareness messages) with similar folk tunes and dancers to explain the importance of birth control, girl child education, etc. The tunes are so catchy that my maid used to sing, though I am not sure if she got the message.

Knowing that this is India, the males will probably put the condom on a stick, keep the shameful thing in the corner of a room and then have sex as usual :) [This has happened before, although I can't find a link]

At least they showed the thing being applied to a specially designed piece of wood, rather than a banana or other piece of fruit. I wonder how many kids are freaked away from eating their fruits and vegetables after having the image burned on their brain of a lubricated condom covering something you'd typically eat.

is rural Telugu society that open about discussing these things?

Musically, is that based on Telugu folk music? It actually sounds pretty cool.

Wow.

That's so awesome I'm at a loss for words. Perfect for a Monday morn.. =)

is rural Telugu society that open about discussing these things?

Yes, at least among lower class/castes. Women from rural Andra Pradesh (mostly lower caste) are more emancipated than their middle class or upper middle class counterparts in urban areas. Widows and divorcees tend to remarry and its very much accepted by the society.

I second that. Rural society is lot more open and ribald. check out other songs from the same user. The tunes are from telugu folk songs. Songs set to similar tunes are staple of electioneering materials,PSA and rural ad campaigns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwUjEjrQdM8

so if i send this to my telugu-speaking friends, will i get a virtual conk on the head?

Yes, at least among lower class/castes. Women from rural Andra Pradesh (mostly lower caste) are more emancipated than their middle class or upper middle class counterparts in urban areas. Widows and divorcees tend to remarry and its very much accepted by the society.

not just rural telugu society; similar things are true for maharashtra as well; additionally promiscuity is rampant in many villages. a friend of mine who did his two years of village medical service (required if you go to a govt. med school in maharashtra) reports that the high rate of hiv infections in many villages can be traced to this (apparently a lot of people were sleeping with their neighbors' wives/husbands, in addition to distant relatives).

I felt it was missing a dhol. Hint, hint to resident DJs.

Damn, I thought my Telugu comprehension was pretty good, but my mom must be from a different region or something because I can only understand bits and pieces of the song! Anyway, this is a good link to email to my mom... ha!

Best. You Tube Video. Ever. And looks like such an easy to make halloween costume. I picture Mutineers all across the country inspired by this post dressing as condoms this halloween....

so if i send this to my telugu-speaking friends, will i get a virtual conk on the head?

off the halloween remark, it reminds me of an episode where moby (the singer, eponymous to is granduncle's creation) strapped a large dildo to his head and went jabbign people with it. i think he got punchedou.t.

ymmv

OMG. I needed that. So funny. :-) Now I'm not sure I'll be able to get any other work done today!

"those dudes standing around him with crossed arms and not-happy expressions did NOT look like they were about to join in the singing and dancing.
Indian audiences often stare blankly while performances are going on...it's a tough crowd. "

I thought the guy staring with the disgruntled look on his face was just trying to figure out how to wear such a gigantic condom. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6161691.stm

Below the belt?

When I lived in Hyderabad, there was a huge billboard with a smilinng condom outside my house, and I never even dreamed that AP would outdo itself on that account. But it has.

And with good reason, too. Here's a picture I took of a general store next to the GPO on Abids, Hyderabad, a few years ago: https://webspace.utexas.edu/dmaj/DSC02581.JPG?uniq=-npz4gw

I can speak Telegu and I am very amused by this public service announcement. #8 -Pingpong is right, how do the dancing condoms tell their family/friends/potential employers about their contribution to community service?

I can't speak for all Telegu people, but I think this humorous message is one that should be taken seriously. Hopefully this comical ad will raise some awareness and motivate people to practice safe sex.

By the way, not to be rude or too personal, how did you find out about this hilarious ad? But I am glad you shared it with all of us!!

This is freaking awesome.

My three favorite things are 1.) the hot dance moves 2.) that each of the condom characters represented different kinds of condom (one studded, one ribbed, etc.) and 3.) each of the condoms have moustaches.

But seriously, the video rules.

By the way, not to be rude or too personal, how did you find out about this hilarious ad? But I am glad you shared it with all of us!!

Not rude or personal at all, but thank you for the adorable prefacing. How did I find this? One of you put it on the News Tab, while another personally emailed me! See why I love you mutineers? I got the hook up (holla if you hear me...ughhhh). ;)

I laughed so hard when I saw that. Now imagine this type of PSA shown in the North. Or even in other countries. This holds no punches, which in the age of HIV and AIDS is needed.

And with good reason, too. Here's a picture I took of a general store next to the GPO on Abids, Hyderabad, a few years ago: https://webspace.utexas.edu/dmaj/DSC02581.JPG?uniq=-npz4gw

I can speak Telegu and I am very amused by this public service announcement.

...about time those hornball Telegus got some sage advice about their promiscuity.... ;)

PS...Anna, did you quote "Master P"??...say it ain't so...

PS...Anna, did you quote "Master P"??...say it ain't so...

So. :) No one notices my music refs (no one who cares to comment, at least) so they've gotten progressively wackier.

That still does not make it right... next thing you know you'll be robbing a jool'ree store and telling them to make you a grill...either that or hanging out with Shar Jackson and teaching her the "Souljah Boy" dance...

...y'know, now that I think about it, show Shar (and all of K. Fed's conquests) that video and show that there *is* actual defense against Kevin Federline's uber-potent....'swim-boys'....

hooray for subtitles...

-The Prime Minister Sinister Pete Nice

damn, that song goes on forever. it's like 10 coituses long.

as for the doggy gay cross sectional illustrations, why is the inserted tickle-tackle all pink?

why is the inserted tickle-tackle all pink?

Duh...it's Scythian. ;)

damn, that song goes on forever. it's like 10 coituses long.

Quite a 'folk music' feel to it, not too sure how open to discussion rural audiences are, but no effigies or APSRTC buses have been burnt, so I guess people are more understanding with no involvement of politicians. Imagine this being a govt. sponsored ad - accusations will range from "insult-to-culture" to "promoting-gay-sex" and all crap one can think of, also not sure if the are showing this on television, but the primary audience is most probably rural Andhra Pradesh.

Kudos to the makers, actors and the uploaders....

--

indianoguy,

39 can speak Telugu, didn't claim he/she can spell it :)

Amitabh@11,

badass language sure :) , but phonetically, Niccolò Da Conti termed it the "Italian of the east"

--

Duh...it's Scythian. ;)

zing!

The song is like, 7 minutes long. Would that challenge Missy Elliott to downgrade her song to needing no "45 second man"?

only if she sang in telugu :) "45 secondu manu."

REEEEEEMIX ... for real, though, I'd love to hear this chopped and screwed.

"45 secondu manu" LOL!

The BackGully Boyz Rule!

Nirodh is a brand of condom in India manufactured by a Govt of India enterprise - Hindustan Latex. However due to extensive advertising Nirodh has become the generic name for a condom. If you look at the ad it clears states that there are many types of Nirodh including KS and Kohinoor.

Condom advertising has been quite the norm for well over 25 years - both on Radio and TV. I first learnt about something called 'sex' from a Nirodh ad on Doordarshan. I innoncently asked my neighbour what was Nirodh - he said it is for adults. Took me a few weeks of questioning a few adults to find out about Nirodh and its uses.

Nirodh has been a lousy product for many years - dont know if it is any better now. never dared to use anything except KS.

The evolution of condom advertising in India is an interesting study
1980s- Preventing children
early 1990s -Pleasure for the man
late 1990s - pleasure for both men & women
early 2000s - variety
late 2000's - health

I wish my Consumer Behaviour term paper were online :(

I skimmed through the comments and didn't see anything regarding when and where this ad is played. Is it a commercial to be played on a channel like Doordarshan? I doubt it's filler for movie houses. We can talk for hours on who this is targeted towards. Does anyone know who ends up seeing this, and how?

Melbourne, I'd be interested to read your paper.

Ravi - I ll have to see if a copy is around somewhere - maybe my prof has still kept a copy.

From the first link in my post...

About This Video
This is an entertaining and educational video in Telugu on Condom usage, to prevent from sexually transmitted infections and HIV, from Nrityanjali Academy, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India

Ha Ha Ha

Damn, I thought my Telugu comprehension was pretty good, but my mom must be from a different region or something because I can only understand bits and pieces of the song! Anyway, this is a good link to email to my mom... ha!

Is your mom from Telangana?

It's interesting that this was produced in Secunderabad (which is right next to Hyderabad). I thought the high HIV rate in AP applied mostly to the rural areas (there are quite a few HIV/AIDS cases in my dad's village, and the lack of education about it is stunning, e.g. people don't even know that they have HIV/AIDS, they just know that they're 'sick.' I believe there is a lot of stigma attached to it too).

The organization that produced this had a website, which is down now, but which Google kindly cached for us: The best part: "Nrityanjali academy has performed a street show on HIV/AIDS in front of Ms.Laura Bush." And here's a picture of Laura playing a tambourine along with these obviously abstinence-only activists, on the White House's own site.
Telugu has what must be the strongest tradition of activist folk music in South Asia. The biggest star of the last few decades is undoubtedly Gaddar.

AG - I'm just glad the First Lady didn't grab one of the dancers, kiss them, and cause national outrage!

Yes Anna, but how does it reach the intended audience? How is the video shown? That's my question.

@ Ravi Re: #63 - My guess is it's shown during intermission in movies.
Re #60: It's not particularly Telenganish. I'd imagine any Telugu speaker (used to talking about such subjects) could follow it. Should we start transcribing it?

wow. just wow. i loved every second of it. even better would have been to see this in person, on the streets of AP.

i think this video hits several key points - and caters well to a certain segment of the population. i hope it has the intended effect on at least some. i know a lot of NGOs already have social awareness street performances, but this (w/ some modifications) would be a great one.

O/T but what was up with the bhangra-esque/basanti(kite-flying) moves by the backup dancers?

Poor sods who danced in that video are probably not going to want to put that on their resumés. I can see that one going well: "Could you tell us more about this social awareness project you did?". "Yes, I was a giant singing, dancing anthropomorphic condom."

@pingpong - ROFL!!!!

awesome. safe sex should be a fun and entertaining message. yay!

Would someone who speaks Telugu please transliterate? It's terrible having a song in your head and not knowing the lyrics!