Branded blockbuster: Ranveer Singh turns spy in Ching’s secret blockbuster spectacle

New Delhi: Actor Ranveer Singh has returned in a new piece of branded entertainment for Ching’s Secret, directed by Atlee and co-starring Sreeleela and Bobby Deol. 

The campaign, which debuted on October 19, reportedly has a production budget of Rs 150 crore, making it one of the most expensive branded content projects in India and surpassing the budgets of several recent Bollywood films, including Chhaava (Rs 130 crore), Raid 2 (Rs 120 crore) and Stree 2 (Rs 60 crore).

The advert summarises the hallmarks of a South Indian blockbuster into an eight-minute narrative, featuring an exaggerated action storyline. Singh plays Agent Ching, a human embodiment of Ching’s Schezwan sauce, who must foil the plans of Professor White Noise (Deol), a pharmaceutical scientist behind a fictional drug called Shape Zero. 

The drug, which dulls taste buds and suppresses hunger, symbolises the cultural fascination with rapid weight-loss solutions, including GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic.

Set in a snowbound army outpost, the storyline has Ching confronting the professor after he kidnaps army personnel to lure the hero out. 

Schezwan sauce becomes a metaphor for taste, indulgence and resistance against instant slimming, with Singh wielding sauce sachets as weapons and Deol delivering an over-the-top villainous performance.

Industry observers note the campaign’s cinematic scale and high-profile cast have drawn attention, reflecting the increasing ambition of Indian advertising. Atlee, known for films such as Jawan, brings a visually dramatic style to the campaign, reminiscent of his blockbuster work.

Ranveer Singh’s association with Ching’s is longstanding, including previous campaigns such as a short film by Rohit Shetty and an instant noodles advert with Tamannaah Bhatia.