In the wonderland of banyans and messages

Banyans have swayed the movie kingdom as no other product has been able to.
A banyan is a garment that the menfolk wear and the purpose is to absorb the perspiration and keep the shirt clean. Banyans usually come in two types – the ones with sleeve and the sleeveless ones. And then there are the T-shirts – these are banyans with collars and pockets and are worn during the summer months.
The exact point of time when Bollywood celebrities entered on the scene to promote different brands of banyans is not known but, the fact is that several of them have, and are still, seen in ads of banyans. They are well known for their macho images and are Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Sunny Deol and Salman Khan.

Obviously, banyan is a paying proposition and has opened up job opportunities for all those associated with the ad world. There has to be catchy phrases and memorable jingles that will be remembered long after the banyans have lost their usable lifespan.
Some banyans have messages emblazoned across the front and rear – these could be ‘for a specific cause’ or to let the world know about ones feelings. The cryptic messages and one liners are real treats. A couple of examples –

‘I don’t give free advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?’

‘You know what’s disturbing about you? You.’

While on the subject of banyans, I remember my school days. We used to wear half shirts and, if the sleeve of the banyan peeped out of the shirt sleeve, we were taunted – ‘your Saturday is bigger than your Sunday’.
I have still not yet been able to figure out this riddle!


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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