Dementia’s Impact on Identity Takes Focus in Tata Trusts’ Vajood Rahe Maujood Campaign

Launched during World Alzheimer’s Month, the initiative uses a film starring Geeta Agarwal Sharma and Priyanshu Painyuli to encourage families to recognise early changes and discuss dementia sooner

Tata Trusts has launched Vajood Rahe Maujood, a dementia awareness campaign that shifts attention from forgetfulness alone to the gradual changes in identity, relationships, roles and everyday abilities that can accompany the condition.
Launched during World Alzheimer’s Month, the campaign draws on insights from people living with early stage dementia, caregivers and medical experts.
At the centre of the initiative is a short film intended to help families notice early changes, discuss them sooner and consider steps that could help preserve a loved one’s sense of identity for longer.
The campaign addresses the tendency to dismiss early signs of dementia as a normal part of ageing or simply as forgetfulness. It highlights how such interpretations can make changes associated with the condition easier to overlook.

According to figures cited in the supplied campaign information, India is projected to have more than 347 million people aged 60 and above by 2050. Against this demographic backdrop, the campaign positions greater awareness of dementia as an increasingly relevant public health issue.
Shilpi Ghosh, Head, Brand & Marketing Communications, Tata Trusts, said, “Of the various barriers that Dementia faces in India, the biggest is a lack of awareness, the misestimation, the misattribution, the dismissal. Addressing patients exhibiting mild symptoms was therefore a conscious choice of audience for nudging behavior change. And when “loss of identity” and its various dimensions across the stages of the disease, were uncovered as an insight, we knew we had something powerful to work with, that would lead to captivating communication that was persuasive and not preachy. Communication that was not just empathetic but also encouraged action, so caregivers and their loved ones could have an improved quality of life. We’re hopeful that the campaign will be able to move the needle on dementia from ignorance to awareness.”

Wolfzhowl developed the strategic communications for the campaign.
Kalyan Challapalli, Founder and Chief of Strategy, Wolfzhowl, said the qualitative research behind the initiative examined the impact of dementia beyond the individual, including its implications for caregivers, families, healthcare and the economy.
He also highlighted the absence of regional language vocabulary to describe dementia and its early changes as an issue that can make the condition harder for families to identify and discuss.
The campaign film translates these insights into an everyday relationship between a mother and her son.
Geeta Agarwal Sharma, known for Laapataa Ladies and 12th Fail, plays a mother experiencing early signs of dementia. Priyanshu Painyuli, known for Mirzapur and Extraction, portrays her son and primary caregiver.

According to the campaign, selecting a woman as the central character reflects the disproportionate impact of dementia on women. Placing the son in the primary caregiver role was intended to encourage greater participation by men in caregiving and conversations around dementia.
Keigan Pinto, Creative Chief, Writer and Director, said, “The creative challenge was to make something as invisible as identity loss felt without reducing dementia to a list of symptoms. That is why we chose to make this a short film rather than a conventional public service announcement. We wanted to give the audience enough time to inhabit an everyday relationship and notice the small shifts that can otherwise be overlooked. The poem which the son wrote for his mother on her birthday is a creative device used to carry the message of care as the greatest gift. Through the poem, the son has a difficult conversation with his mother, while empathising with her. Vajood Rahe Maujood, the tagline sums up the vision of this campaign, to encourage more people to act towards preserving their identity for as long as possible.”

The supplied campaign information states that an estimated 45% of dementia cases could potentially be prevented or delayed. It also states that changes associated with dementia can begin 10 to 20 years before symptoms become apparent.
Through Vajood Rahe Maujood, Tata Trusts aims to encourage greater awareness of early changes associated with dementia and more conversations among individuals, caregivers and families.

ABOUT TATA TRUSTS
Established in 1892, Tata Trusts works across areas including healthcare, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, and urban and rural livelihoods.
Its work includes collaborations and initiatives involving communities, institutions and public systems across India.

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