Built around the insight that many children grow up viewing their fathers as the "villains" in their lives because they impose restrictions, discourage shortcuts and enforce discipline, the campaign highlights the sacrifices, difficult decisions and acts of tough love that ultimately shape their children's future.
Through the film, Pocket FM pays tribute to fathers who willingly accept being disliked in the moment because they prioritise their children's growth over immediate approval. The campaign presents a universal reality that many fathers spend years playing the role of the villain in their children's stories, only for their intentions to be understood much later in life.
Featuring Mukesh Rishi, one of Indian cinema's most recognisable on-screen antagonists, the film explores how fathers often carry the burden of being unpopular while setting boundaries, making difficult choices and refusing requests that appeared reasonable at the time. Those very moments, however, frequently become the lessons, values and habits that shape adulthood.
The campaign adopts a fresh perspective on Father's Day by celebrating an aspect of fatherhood that is rarely acknowledged. Rather than portraying fathers as heroes who save the day, it recognises those who are willing to be misunderstood in pursuit of a larger purpose.
Mukesh Rishi, known for portraying memorable villainous characters over several decades, playfully represents every father who has been labelled a villain by his child, before revealing the affection, responsibility and sacrifice behind those tough decisions.
Speaking about the campaign, Vineet Singh, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Brand Marketing, Communications, Partnerships and Public Affairs at Pocket FM, said that most Father's Day campaigns portray fathers as heroes, but this initiative celebrates a role that many fathers understand deeply. He said fathers are often the ones who say no, establish limits and make decisions that may not be appreciated immediately. According to him, children may resent those moments, but adulthood often reveals that such decisions stemmed from love. He described "The Villain Who Raised Me" as a tribute to fathers who chose to be misunderstood because they cared more about the people their children would become than how they felt in a particular moment.
Commenting on the campaign, Mukesh Rishi said every father has played the villain at some point and that he may have done the same. He said love sometimes means refusing demands, setting boundaries and accepting that children may not immediately understand the reasons behind those decisions. He added that the irony of using his on-screen villain image to tell this story made the campaign even more meaningful and personally relatable.
Conceptualised and executed by Pocket FM's in-house creative team, the campaign reflects the brand's continued emphasis on storytelling rooted in relatable cultural observations and everyday human experiences. The campaign film has been released across Pocket FM's social media platforms.
By using the image of one of Indian cinema's most iconic villains to honour fathers whose strictness often conceals sacrifice and affection, Pocket FM's "The Villain Who Raised Me" offers a distinctive and emotionally resonant perspective on Fatherhood, celebrating the lasting wisdom hidden behind difficult decisions
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