Rare gems: When Mohammed Rafi, Begum Akhtar appeared on commercial print ads

New Delhi: They sang to packed concerts and their silver voices were widely recognised in the realm of cinema, but not many may know that playback legend Mohammed Rafi and Mallika-e-Ghazal Begum Akhtar also appeared in print advertisements of yesteryears.

An exhibition of rare archival ads that opens here on Tuesday dedicates one segment to sepia-toned print advertisements, which once featured masters and queens of melodies, including the likes of Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Mukesh.

Another set showcases ads of television and other brands such as Televista, Murphy transistors, Rajdoot motorcycle and Sona Chandi Chawanprakash, which were endorsed by cine icon Dharmendra, who recently died at the age of 89.

Titled 'Stars Shine', the exhibition is being hosted at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture.

A full section features a set of advertisements of Lux soap, featuring actresses who endorsed the brand, such as Meena Kumari, Kamini Kaushal, Suraiya, Nimmi, Waheeda Rehman, Nirupa Roy and Nanda, among other famous faces from the big screen of the bygone era.

Kaushal, one of Hindi cinema's earliest female stars who began her career with the classic 'Neecha Nagar' in 1946 and went on to act in a host of films right till 2022, died at her Mumbai home in November. She was 98.

In the exhibition, perhaps what stand out for their rarity are ads of famous music labels like HMV or electronic items such as Philips Radio or Murphy Radio.

"These are very rare, vintage ads as not many would be aware that playback singing legends like Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Mukesh once appeared in print ads. This makes this segment of the exhibition very special," a senior official told PTI.

He also offered a sneak peek into the exhibition before its official launch on Tuesday.

The ad collection showcases Begum Akhtar featured in a Philips Radio ad, or Lata Mangeshkar endorsing the HMV label, or 'Rafi sahab' or Asha Bhosle seen on HMV label and Philips Radio print ads.

"Beyond the world of cinema, advertising played a decisive role in bringing cinematic personalities into the fabric of everyday life. Filmstars shaped public taste, fashion, and aspiration, and the trust they inspired made them central to the evolution of Indian advertising. Their association with products marked an important phase in the nation's visual and cultural history," the official said.

However, this engagement was not limited to actors of the silver screen alone.

Renowned singers and other cinema personalities also featured in advertisements, extending their cultural presence into the commercial space, he said.

The exhibition draws from a collection of advertisements, published from 1950s to 1990s, and traces the dynamic intersections between cinema and advertising.

The exhibits include images of several print ads drawn from private collections.

In March, the IGNCA hosted an exhibition highlighting the art of Indian advertising as it evolved over the period from 1950-90.

It featured prints of varied ads, from food items to ceiling fans and footwear to bicycles, depicting an era gone by.

These ads were originally featured in magazines of yesteryears such as Dharamyug, Madhuri and Filmfare.

From vintage print ads to classic TV spots, a senior official of the IGNCA said in March that it had envisioned creating a "repository of old advertisements" published in India, both for their archival and artistic values.