India’s fashion and advertising industries remain at an early stage of institutional maturity, a condition reflected in their persistent dependence on film celebrities as primary brand ambassadors and runway centre pieces. This reliance suggests a limited differentiation between adjacent creative professions, particularly acting and fashion modelling, which in more established markets are treated as distinct domains with specialised forms of expertise.

In mature fashion ecosystems such as those in the Europe or the US, it would be unusual to see mainstream film actors routinely occupying roles traditionally reserved for professional models, whether in television advertising campaigns or as showstoppers at fashion weeks. Cultural figures like Jack Nicholson endorsing fast‑food brands, or actors such as Charlize Theron or Gwyneth Paltrow repeatedly headlining designer runway shows, would likely be perceived as misaligned and incongruous with industry norms. These roles are instead traditionally reserved for career models, such as Gigi Hadid and Kate Moss.

A one-off luxury perfume campaign or a high-end car advert featuring a film star is understandable as it trades on a closed loop of aspiration and image, hence can be justified. But Pan Parag is something else entirely. Its fortunes are built on widespread consumption and mass addiction among the lower strata, with their health as collateral, only so those proceeds can be funnelled upward to pay obscene endorsement fees to the very elites who would never touch the product themselves. It’s not image-building; it’s exploitation with a celebrity smile. The poor in India cannot discern between an endorsement and the reality. They have built a temple for Khushboo Mata in the South. She is an actor for heaven’s sake.

The Indian fashion ramp is frequently ceded to film celebrities, even when highly trained professional models are present and relegated to the background. When an actor such as Janhvi Kapoor headlines a show while accomplished runway models follow, it raises a larger question about professional boundaries and respect for craft. Modelling, like acting, is a discipline in its own right. Until the industry allows each profession its due space, Indian fashion will continue to struggle for global credibility.

Ah those days of Milind Soman. And Mehr Jessia.
Now imagine Raj Kapoor in a Pantaloon ad. 😊

… Sapna Dhandh-Sharma