Sachin Tendulkar's lookalike outshines him in Dr. Agarwals' new ad

Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital has rolled out a humorous ad campaign to spotlight the importance of early recognition of cataract symptoms, encouraging people to maintain sharp and clear vision.

Cataracts cause the eye's natural lens to become cloudy over time, gradually leading to blurry vision. This ad stands out for embracing a humorous approach, in contrast to the typically serious tone found in most ads. 

The campaign stars cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and is conceptualised by Moonshot, the ad agency led by Tanmay Bhat, Deviah Bopanna, and their team.  

The ad opens with a lookalike of Sachin Tendulkar capturing a selfie alongside the cricket legend. As the double moves forward, a man hurries towards him, filled with excitement, and addresses him as “Sachin Sir.” The man, professing to be Tendulkar’s biggest fan, expresses his admiration for the cricket legend, oblivious to the fact that the real Sachin is sitting just behind him.

As the conversation unfolds, Sachin rises to grab the fan's attention, but is instead mistaken for his lookalike. A fan captures a selfie with the doppelganger, excluding the real Sachin from the frame. Just as Tendulkar is called away, the fan suddenly realises his mistake.

The ad cleverly highlights how cataracts can obscure not just your sight but also opportunities—such as missing out on a rare selfie with your favourite celebrity. The story wraps up with the fan accompanying Tendulkar to Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital for an eye examination. 

The ad is live on YouTube and available in Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Telugu, and Tamil.

Last year, the eye hospital launched the Choose What You See campaign, featuring Revathi and Anant Mahadevan. Created by Lowe Lintas, the campaign aimed to challenge the deep-rooted societal tendency of taking senior citizens for granted, while also highlighting the impact of Dr. Agarwals corrective vision surgeries on their lives.

Established in 1957, Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital has grown into a network of over 200 hospitals across India.

The lookalike featured in the ad is Balvir Chand, who has returned to the limelight after years. Chand rose to prominence due to his striking resemblance to the cricket star, often portraying Tendulkar at public events, commercial shoots, and cricket promotions.

According to a report by Sportstar, he endorsed Goli Vada Pav, a well-known fast food chain in Mumbai, using his likeness in ads to represent the brand. Following Tendulkar's retirement from international cricket in November 2013, Chand's appearances started to decline.