Chandigarh, Nov. 23 -- The Chandigarh LitFest being organised at the Lake Club, on Saturday, hosted a deep dive into the craft of advertising with acclaimed ad film director Prahlad Kakkar, who headlined the session 'The Power of Story: Advertising Insights.' In a neutral yet evocative tone, Kakkar asserted that "Advertisement is an art of story-telling. It is the story that adds value, the story that makes it powerful, not the product." Kakkar captivated the audience by delving into the world of ideas and creativity, sweeping them with a wave of nostalgia by showcasing his most iconic ad films from the 90s, including the memorable Pepsi advertisements featuring cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar and actor Shah Rukh Khan. He recalled that his imagination was consistently fuelled by listening to stories narrated by his grandparents during his childhood. Showcasing the highly popular 90's ad with the tagline 'Yeh Dil Maange More', which featured children wearing Tendulkar's masks, Prahlad described how the film was conceptualised around the joy of the icon surprising his young fans. The core idea was that the children were playing cricket wearing Sachin masks, and Tendulkar would unmask to reveal himself as a surprise. Kakkar detailed the authentic approach taken during the filming of the surprise moment. He emphasised that the children, who were from economically weaker sections, had no clue that Sachin Tendulkar would actually be present. "I wanted to capture their actual expressions on seeing Sachin in person as the cricketer removed his mask," he stated, adding, "I told the cameraman he only has one shot and there will be no retake." He recounted the deeply touching moment of the surprise: "I remember one of the kids pinched Sachin's shirt to believe it was actually true." Reflecting on his personal journey, Kakkar revealed that the oral tradition of storytelling grew with him. He shared that he was dyslexic as a child and was not interested in studies. "To escape the drudgery of school, I used to create stories," he confessed, concluding, "A product becomes relevant with the story and the great ads are the one which touches one's heart." He also offered a life lesson, saying he learned very early in life to laugh at himself. "If you develop the confidence and the panache to carry this off, to not pay heed to criticism, then one is able to carve his own niche," he advised. Prahlad concluded the session by expressing his sorrow that children these days have stopped reading. He contrasted visual media with books, arguing, "A story that you see on television is like packaged food, there is no imagination." He stressed the link between reading and creativity: "When you read a book, like for example Harry Potter, you imagine him, that sparks creativity and thrill. Only when you read can you imagine."...