Why is PM Modi patting Chhota Bheem's back in this game?

Nazara Technologies' latest smartphone game is about Swachh Bharat Abhiyan featuring an aware Chhota Bheem cleaning city streets and being lauded by the PM.

Mobile gaming company, Nazara's latest smartphone game 'Chhota Bheem Swachh Bharat Run' features Prime Minister Narendra Modi and plays up the Government of India's cleanliness campaign Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Mission.

The game falls in the 'endless runner' category and has Chhota Bheem racing with a broom to clean up cities. He collects all the trash and dumps it in a trash bin; this is followed by a pat on his back by the PM. While Bheem scoops up the litter he is awarded laddoos - which can later be used to recover lives in the game.

The game did strike a chord with the PM who tweeted about it.

छोटा भीम का बड़ा समर्थन!

Thank you Chhota Bheem, for strengthening the team that is fulfilling the dream of a Swachh Bharat.

This valuable support will surely motivate more youngsters to join the movement. https://t.co/vjPU50DSoJ

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2019

We have seen Nazara partner with other entities in some of its previous games; for example, the Reckitt Benckiser partnership for Dettol in 2017. The partnership resulted in a game where Chhota Bheem cleaned himself with Dettol soap. Manish Agarwal, CEO, Nazara Technologies, told afaqs! that games, as a medium, are highly interactive and brands can push their proposition in a very non-intrusive, contextual manner.

Nazara's integration of Dettol with Chhota Bheem

However, what's intriguing about the latest game is that it isn't an outcome of a partnership between Nazara Technologies and the government of India or even the BJP. The team took the initiative to couple 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' with its popular IP, Chhota Bheem and procured requisite permissions from the government before starting the project

PM Modi patting Chhota Bheem's back at the dumping zone

The smartphone game's target audience is children - the ones who play games on their parents' phones. The game aims at promoting the message of Swachh Bharat not only among children but also young parents.

ALSO READ: As Chhota Bheem bathes in Dettol...

Looking at prospects, the game could surely gain from both Modi and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan's popularity. Further down the line, the laddoos could easily be replaced with a branded mint, a lollipop or even cream biscuits. In-gaming advertising is a thing to look forward to.

Nazara claims that the game is a part of its 'Play4Good' initiative of using mobile games to educate young children.

The company has also published digital comic strips on social media about the game.

Chhota Bheem comic strip published by Nazara
Click on the images to enlarge