The film opens with a sculptor receiving an order for an idol of Goddess Durga. To get started, he makes his annual visit to the brothel where he gets the soil from, where a sex worker recognises him and readily offers the soil. Watching this, her little daughter innocently asks why they’ve never been to a Pujo Pandal; a celebration, that honours the idol made from their very soil.

Her question leads to an uncomfortable exchange, where the sex worker reminds her that their celebrations are ‘separate’. Unsettled, the sculptor returns home, where his wife senses his contemplation. She asks if he’d received the soil, and he tells her, he didn’t even have to ask for it. She then enquires if he asked ‘the second question’.

The couple visits the brothel, and asks the sex worker a question she’s never been asked - “Will you celebrate Pujo with us?”

Smart Bazaar is one of India’s largest affordable supermarket chains, with a crucial part of its target audience being the Bengali community. For over 500 years, they have been celebrating Pujo together, worshipping idols of Goddess Durga at pandals (festival grounds).

According to tradition, these idols must contain one essential element: soil from outside brothels, given free-willingly by sex workers. But ironically, the same sex workers who are indispensable in the idol’s creation are excluded from even attending its celebration.

Smart Bazaar wanted to create a film that connects with the evolved Bengali community during the festive period of Pujo, and attract greater affinity.

We had to sensitively appeal to the Bengali community, that is as proud of its culture and tradition, as it is forward-thinking. This had to be done in a way that it ultimately results in greater brand affinity.

The Second Question has reached over 16.5 million people around the world. It received an outpouring of support on social media, even trending organically on Twitter. Thought leaders praised the film’s sensitive storytelling which brought home the message of inclusive celebrations -

A message that soon became a reality, for in 2022, for the first time in 500 years, religious bodies actually invited sex workers to be a part of Pujo celebrations at pandals (festival grounds).

The extraordinary impact has also translated into greater brand love, sharp increase in store footfall, and record sales. SMART Bazaar’s social media handles saw a 600% increase in engagement, stores in West Bengal; the Indian state where Pujo is widely celebrated saw a two-fold increase in footfall while showing a 48% increase in sales.

Indian festivals are a melange of unique traditions that are set in stone, with the tradition of asking sex workers for soil during Durga Puja, only to exclude them from celebrations, being no exception.

This deeply unjust tradition was normalised to a level that it was internalised. Devotees expect this free-willing gift to be theirs without a question, while sex workers have been forced to accept that the doors to Pujo celebrations would always be closed for them.

To educate without drawing hate, to change the status quo of a deeply rooted tradition without seeming callous, was the task at hand. SMART Bazaar, one of India’s largest affordable supermarket chains, a brand that makes quality products accessible to all, a brand whose very ethos is equality, walked the delicate line to change this tale of exclusion to an opportunity of inclusion.