A lot of us are going to watch ‘The Mummy’ this weekend. But we all know, it’s really not for Tom Cruise or the storyline and SFX. For most of us, it brings back memories of the Brendan Fraser movies that got us hooked onto the comedy/ horror/ adventure/ supernatural genre.
It is also exactly why we end up watching even the nth part in Fast & Furious, knowing fully that it will be more ‘Rohit Shetty’ than ‘Dominic Toretto’. The same has been tried with Independence Day: Resurgence and Baywatch; and even the announcement of Andaz Apna Apna and Crystal Maze.
Its not just story and plotlines, way too many Bollywood songs too are rebooted. Yes, till a few weeks ago, Tamma Tamma took me back to my school days every single time. Thankfully, some of these reboots are tastefully done keeping the original meter of the songs intact, though not without the occasional Badshah/ equivalent. Some songs and movies are seen in a fresher, more palpable avatar. It was rather interesting to see the characters from Archie’s Comics so deeply personified in Netflix’s Riverdale. Netflix and Hotstar have played it well with Fuller House and Sarabhai vs Sarabhai Take 2 respectively.
Apart from the entertainment segment, brands are tapping into nostalgia through their products and services too. Nokia 3310, the iconic feature phone has been brought back to life, complete with the classic Snake game. Pokémon Go played it well by involving both- Pokémon’s older fan base, while the new avatar gripped newer, younger audiences. Closer to home, the brand essence of Paperboat Drinks is essentially to make consumers nostalgic.
Some people imagine that we crave for nostalgia, to go back to the feeling of a better time. We want to relive simpler, happier moments. With today’s complex economic and social scenarios, it seems befitting that we long for happiness, and going back in time is the only way we know. But how far back are we going to go? And will it slow us down or open up newer ideas and avenues? Will we reminisce about these days 10 years later?
Shais17 