19/09/2025
Jalebi Boy Grown up now, Watch funny reaction.
Famous Dhara Jalebi Ad Classic Indian Commercial Old and New version Main Ghar chod ke ja raha hoon
Missing home? Or just missing those garma garam jalebis cooked in pure Dhara oil? 🏠 Babloo almost ran away... but who can say no to Jaleebi temptation? Travel back to the days when leaving home was easy—until someone whispered, “Mummy ne garma garam jalebi banayi hai!” 😂
Watch the classic drama unfold: grumpy Babloo, railway station adventures, and the legendary Ram Kaka’s secret weapon—the Jalebi. Warning: May cause sudden cravings and family reunions. Old or new, some things never change… except maybe the calorie count! 🍭
Who else tried to leave home for dramatic effect… and came running back for dessert? Share your epic “Main Ghar Chod Ke Ja Raha Hoon” stories below! 😁
The roots of the Dhara Jalebi Ad stretch back to the 1970s, a period marked by India’s near self-sufficiency in edible oil due to robust production and local distribution networks. After the turbulent wars and droughts of the early 1970s, this independence waned and imported oils began to dominate. In response, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) launched Operation Golden Flow, aimed at revitalizing domestic oilseed farming and processing. Dhara – meaning ‘stream’ or ‘flow’ – was unveiled in 1988, rapidly capturing market share due to its tamper-proof packaging and perception of purity.
However, the commercialization tide soon shifted. By the early 1990s, government subsidies evaporated and consumer perceptions changed; Dhara was viewed as a low-cost ‘ration’ oil. Sales plummeted from over 100,000 tons to less than 30,000 tons. The need for a transformative campaign brought Mudra Communications to the fore—the advertising agency tasked with restoring Dhara’s emotional connect with Indian families.
Birth of the Iconic Ad: "Main Ghar Chhod Ke Ja Raha Hoon"
Jagdish Acharya, Mudra’s creative director, conceptualized the ad with four essential elements: a child, his mother, homemade food, and emotion. Early script versions featured kachori—a spicy snack—as the lure to bring the runaway child home. But an insightful correction came from Acharya’s own mother, who pointed out that kachoris were spicy, regionally limited, and less likely to appeal to children across India. Jalebi, with its universal sweet appeal, replaced kachori, thus giving birth to the ad’s unforgettable centerpiece.
The scene opens at a railway station, tapping into the familiar drama of a child attempting to leave home after feeling misunderstood and unloved. Babloo, the young boy, is stopped by Ram Kaka, who gently informs him that freshly made jalebis await him at home. The boy’s resolve instantly crumbles, and with eyes gleaming for jalebi, he decides “yeh ghar chhodne ka sahi time nahi hai” (this is not a good time to run away).
Casting and Production
The central character, Babloo, was brought to life by Parzaan Dastur, who became synonymous with childhood innocence and the sweet pull of home. Remarkably, Dastur was not the first choice for the role. The initial child actor fell ill before the shoot, and young Parzaan, known for children’s voiceovers, was cast at the last moment. After 38 takes, his genuine delight in saying ‘jalebi’ proved magical—a moment that has since become one of the most memorable in Indian advertising history.
Supporting cast included the warm, paternal Ram Kaka and the loving yet firm mother—caricatures that represented Indian familial dynamics. The charm of the ad lay not just in its simplicity but in its underlying emotional storyline: every Indian child, at some point, feels misunderstood but is drawn back home by food, love, and belonging.
The Cultural Impact: Families, Food and Feelings
Upon its release, the ad immediately resonated with millions of viewers. Its universal theme of childhood rebellion and maternal affection, tied together by the allure of home food, struck a chord across cultural and social boundaries. “Main ghar chhod ke ja raha hoon” became a catchphrase, permeating daily conversation, classroom jokes, and family banter.
Brands often struggle to create lasting emotional connections, but Dhara’s ad aligned itself perfectly with Indian values—family, affection, forgiveness, and the nostalgia of home-cooked food. The use of jalebi, familiar across the nation, enhanced its relatability and made the product—the cooking oil—an indirect yet powerful symbol of purity and tradition.
