N ostalgia marketing is not new, but YouTube India has set a new benchmark in its latest commercials. Bringing back television icons Urvashi Dholakia and Shweta Tiwari as Komolika and Prerna from Kasautii Zindagii Kay , YouTube India recreated the magic of Ekta Kapoor’s daily soap with a modern and comedic twist. Originally airing from 2001 to 2008, Kasautii Zindagii Kay chronicled the love story of Anurag and Prerna, while Komolika’s schemes to keep them apart added endless drama.
The fierce rivalry between Prerna and Komolika, often laced with melodramatic confrontations, became the hallmark of the show. Now, YouTube India has tapped into this nostalgia through a spoof approved by Kapoor herself. In the commercial, Komolika approaches Prerna, not for a fight, but for styling tips.
“Catfights are a misogynistic trope designed to reinforce patriarchal status quo,” says Komolika in a witty critique of daily soap tropes. “Everyone knows a brat and a demure can’t be friends,” Prerna responds cheekily, before proceeding to teach Komolika sari-styling and heatless curl techniques. The banter ends with Komolika advising a “no-tears makeup look tutorial”, delivered with her signature smirk and hair twirl.
Aimed at millennials who grew up watching these characters, the campaign struck a chord. The brand tapped into sentimentality to connect with its users emotionally, nudging them to engage—and even spend—on the platform. The audience celebrated the revival of t.
