Indian music composer and YouTuber Yashraj Mukhate, who is known for his renditions like ‘Rasode mein kaun thi’, ‘Pawri ho rahi hai’ (catchphrases from Star Plus hit show Saath Nibhana Saathiya, and of Dananeer Mobin), has come out with his newest rendition on Moti soap last week.
The 44-second song is a recreation of the famed line of the Moti soap ad, whose catchphrase is ‘Uta Uta Diwali aali. Moti Snanachi Vel Zali’ (Wake up, Diwali is here. It is time to bathe with Moti soap).
That ad, which was released in 2013, touched upon the usage of Moti soap during the occasion of Diwali, thus signifying its strong nostalgic factor. The catchphrase ‘Uta Uta Diwali aali. Moti Snanachi Vel Zali’ has been widely used and is popular in the western belt of India.
During Diwali, the ritual of an early morning oil bath and applying a paste of varied herbs, known as ‘Utna’, is practised. This is widely followed in Maharashtra, parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, northern Karnataka and the Konkan region.
Moti soap has a history to it. During the British era, pearl extracts, rose essence and sandalwood oil were used by most royal families. Hence, Tata Oil Mills Company (TOMCO) introduced the Moti soap, with the inclusion of these ingredients, as a luxury brand in the 1970s.
When it was priced at Rs 25 even in the 1980s, it was way beyond the means of the middle class households. In 1993, Hindustan Unilever acquired the brand. To cater the soap to the masses, keeping in mind that the remaining brands in their portfolio which included Pears, Lux, etc., HUL came up with a plan to position Moti soap during Diwali, since it belonged to a niche category.
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