Amitabh Bachchan gets into his ‘Angry Young Man’ avatar to promote upGrad Abroad

Just as the actor is seen breaking the edtech platform’s office in the film, the brand hopes it will also break through the clutter.

upGrad has launched a new vertical, upGrad Abroad, with a digital film featuring Amitabh Bachchan. The ‘Angry Young Man’ of the 1970s is seen wreaking havoc at the upGrad headquarters.

Conceptualised by upGrad’s creative agency, The Womb, the ad seeks to reassure parents and young aspirants that learning opportunities from globally recognised institutions need not be limited by societal or financial constraints anymore. Aspirants, who seek to attain academic qualifications from global institutes or universities, can now pursue their dream through upGrad Abroad’s portfolio of 20-plus programs. They provide the flexibility to complete the first 12 months online, followed by on-campus learning in the subsequent months (1+2 and 2+2 learning model).

Arjun Mohan, CEO - India, upGrad, said, “It’s that time of the year when school students are pursuing their higher secondary examinations, and parents are evaluating whether to send their children abroad to pursue higher education or not. While our recently launched upGrad Abroad vertical is a breakthrough, we realised that the bigger challenge is to first reach out to the relevant target audience and create maximum visibility for them to be able to make an informed decision.”

“In this regard, it was extremely critical for us to understand the market sentiment and then make a strong marketing move. And that’s when the decision of joining hands with Amit Ji to further our upGrad Abroad mission, came to life. His on-screen persona and charm will, undoubtedly, make heads turn and leave a lasting impact on the audience, thus hitting the bull’s eye.”

Feasible learning options make upGrad Abroad offerings cost-effective, yet attractive for the youngsters, who are looking at building a meaningful career abroad.

Suyash Khabya, creative head, The Womb, added, “Over decades, the world has see Bachchan on 70mm, KBC, TV, and in numerous ads. So, how do we show him differently now? That's where the idea of bringing back 'Angry Bachchan' struck us. At the shoot, he was as fit as a fiddle even at 80... kicking, punching and breaking stuff. We felt as if we were reliving the Zanjeer or Deewar era again. We're confident that just like he breaks upGrad’s office in the commercial, the ad will break through the clutter.”

upGrad Abroad currently holds a strong portfolio in partnership with top international universities in the US, Canada, Australia, UK, Germany, France and Ireland. There is hassle-free visa application and a three-year post-study work visa for its US learners.

Bachchan had this to say, “Times have really changed. We live in a world where opportunities are booming across all walks of life. There is more scope to learn something new and grow through our experiences. But what does opportunity really mean if we do not capitalise on it?”

“I enjoyed doing this ad film because I want to remind today’s youngsters and their parents that in life, appreciating and seizing opportunities is what will lead them ahead. Experiencing learning in newer ways, as offered by upGrad Abroad, puts forth such an opportunity where you can access global education at affordable prices, which will help youngsters add value to their professional journey in the future!”

Directed by Amit Sharma of Chrome Pictures, the film is now live across upGrad’s digital platforms.

Agency credits: The Womb Communications

Founding partners: Kawal Shoor, Navin Talreja

Creative team: Suyash Khabya, Gunjan Gaba, Paritosh Lonkar, Ankita Sawant

Planning team: Sneha Raina, Ipshita Khan

Account management: Heval Patel, Richa Shah

Production house credits: Chrome Pictures

Director: Amit Sharma

Executive producer: Napolean Daniel Amanna, Kush Malhotra

DOP: Ayananka Bose