Limca never could compete with its ever popular parent product Coca Cola or the brand’s arch enemy, Pepsi which was endorsed by superstars like Shahrukh and Sachin in the 90s. Primarily an Indian recipe, Limca has a sharp fizz and rather pungent taste with the hint of a lemoni after effect. Let’s just say, am not a fan.

Most evenings, my uncle would have Limca with his vodka, alone in his room, with his new Jeffery Archer novel. This taboo excitement of the grown up drink and a yearning for an era long gone.. childhood days that are never to return.. are the two reasons I sometimes take a sip of Limca.

Well, though I don’t order the drink, I love 2 old Limca ads. I couldn’t find much about them, except that probably they are shot by Tarun Khiwal.

For the first one, the actors are nothing exceptional, but the music is. A hot quiet afternoon in a neighbourhood.  Alone on the balcony of her house, a girl with her book. Maybe she knew there is a boy leaning against his bike, in the sultry heat. He looks cool though, sipping on his Limca. With each sip a burst of water drenches the girl. The guy is ecstatic, the girl is too. But, she has to act angry. He continues to tease. His drink is over and now she takes a sip from her full bottle of Limca. His bike shatters into a thousand water droplets. A fountain of freshness soaks him through.

The theme is modern, but there is something Indian in the situation. A hidden romance with a boy in your neighbourhood. The lyrics talk about the sparks of freshness of a new relationship… fun.. desire.. flirting.  And really, when was the last time you actually saw such a disarming display of playful wooing of someone?

This one’s clearly urbane in the audience it is targeting. The man is on his phone, clad in his immaculate suit. The woman is in a convertible. Her hair pinned high. High heels, pencil skirt. She is bored. He is busy. They are both tired. He hands her a bottle of Limca. She takes a sip and steps out. The first splash. She has his undivided attention now. More sips, bigger splashes. His white shirt sleeves are rolled up now. Her hair is in disarray.

She ditches her heels. They sprint through the streets. Drenched and wet. Something sensual and alive in their looks. Through a park, on a bridge. A fountain of showers. The lyrics talk about stealing some moments from a dull life. Stealing some movement from a life that has come to a halt.

How busy our life is. There is an unquenchable thirst for human touch. No time for play. These are the ads that force me to drink deep. To flirt. To sing. To get wet in the rain. To catch a moment of respite from the heat.

I didn’t remember this old Limca advertisement. From what I can tell, its from 1986. Salman Khan was not a superstar, nor was he muscular and shirtless. The Lime n Lemony jingle does remain the same. Had to post it here.

 

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