Mohanlal embraces his feminine side—in a jewellery ad that redefines masculinity

The Print

27-07-2025

Instead, the ad focuses on strong visual storytelling, showing Mohanlal gracefully embracing his feminine energy by adorning himself with jewellery. The powerful visuals need no voiceover, no tagline, and no melodrama to make its point.
The latest campaign for Vinsmera Jewels breaks away from all the familiar tropes of traditional jewellery ads. There isn't any ideal daughter, blushing bride, proud father or monologues on feminism.
Malayalam superstar Mohanlal is earning applause on social media for his standout performance in a new jewellery commercial.
It's a refreshing shift from the usual gendered storytelling in jewellery advertising.
Directed by filmmaker Prakash Varma, the commercial opens on a film set. Amid the hustle and bustle of introductions, Mohanlal slips away with an intricate jewellery set and heads to his vanity van.
As the crew begins a search for the missing jewellery, the camera cuts to Mohanlal, who is seen wearing the necklace, rings, and bracelet, paired with a black shirt and trousers. He admires his features in the mirror as traditional music plays in the background.
When the director enters Mohanlal's van, shocked, the actor simply bursts into laughter.
An unconventional approach
The commercial struck a chord with the audiences, who praised Mohanlal for putting up a quiet act of rebellion. The video has clocked over 2.3 million views and over five thousand comments on YouTube.
Rather than seeking approval, the plot of the advertisement focuses more on self-acceptance. After all, the biggest battle is not the one we fight against the world, but the one that we fight with ourselves.
And that is where the commercial succeeds over traditional jewellery marketing.
It stirs emotions instead of delivering monologues, because visuals have a long and lasting impact. It didn't go for the tried and tested backdrops of weddings. Basically, it was totally unconventional and that is what took the audience by surprise.
Also, the brand isn't promoting a product in your face. It's simply putting out the thought that beauty isn't about conformity, but about embracing what speaks to your soul, and jewellery is just a medium for it.
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Double standards
At first glance, the flood of praise under Mohanlal's recent video might make you believe that society is finally embracing the LGBTQ+ community. But scratch the surface, and the reality is anything but progressive.
One influencer rightly pointed out the hypocrisy: when a regular creator wears jewellery or dresses femininely, trolls are quick to tear them apart. But when superstar Mohanlal, who is known to be a macho Malayalam actor, does the same, it becomes 'iconic.'
To this, internet users were quick to issue clarification stating that they don't celebrate the ad's message, instead they just applaud Mohanlal's acting spectrum.
One user wrote, 'He's an actor. He's done mighty masculine roles like Mangalassery Neelakandan. People are praising his range of acting.'
While another said, 'I don't know about others, but trust me homie, I hate that f*****g ad and you equally from the bottom of my heart.'
These reactions are testament to the fact that we still have a long way to go in embracing fluidity, when it isn't wrapped in stardom.
That said, one cannot unsee that the ad has sparked a larger conversation — about beauty, gender, performance, and the weight of public perception.
Whether seen for its message, the rebellion, or simply Mohanlal's acting, the commercial dares to ask a quiet question in a noisy world: Who defines beauty and why?
And, maybe that is what makes it unforgettable. Not because it shouts, but because it doesn't have to.
Brand: Vinsmera Jewels
Creatives: In-house
Director: Prakash Varma
Views are personal.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)