Kumar Bahukhandi
This Father’s Day, Pocket FM has launched “The Villain Who Raised Me”, a digital film featuring actor Mukesh Rishi that reimagines the iconic screen villain as a metaphor for fathers who often had to play the role of the strict disciplinarian while raising their children.
Built around the insight that many children grow up viewing their fathers as the “villains” in their story – the ones who said no to late nights, shortcuts, and distractions, the campaign celebrates the sacrifices, tough decisions, and acts of tough love that ultimately helped shape them.
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This Father’s Day, Pocket FM celebrates fathers whose advice becomes timeless wisdom
Through the film, Pocket FM pays tribute to fathers who were willing to be disliked in the moment because they cared more about their children’s future than their approval.
Featuring veteran actor Mukesh Rishi, one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable on-screen villains, the campaign explores a simple but universal truth: many fathers spend years playing the role of the villain in their children’s stories, only for their intentions to be understood much later.
Whether it was enforcing discipline, setting boundaries, making difficult choices, or refusing requests that seemed perfectly reasonable at the time, fathers often find themselves carrying the burden of being unpopular. Yet those very moments frequently become the lessons, values and habits that shape who we eventually become.
The campaign takes a fresh approach to Father’s Day by celebrating a side of fatherhood that is rarely acknowledged. Not the hero who saves the day, but the parent who is willing to be misunderstood in service of something bigger.
Bringing the idea to life is Mukesh Rishi, whose iconic villain roles have entertained audiences for decades. In the film, Rishi playfully embodies every father who has ever been labelled the villain by their child, before revealing the love, responsibility and sacrifice behind those difficult decisions.
Speaking about the campaign, Vineet Singh, SVP & Global Head, Brand Marketing, Communications, Partnerships & Public Affairs, Pocket FM, said, “Most Father’s Day campaigns celebrate fathers as heroes. We wanted to celebrate a role that many fathers know all too well — being the villain in their child’s story. They are often the ones who say no, draw the line, and make decisions that may not be appreciated in the moment. As children, we may resent those moments. As adults, we often realise they came from a place of love. ‘The Villain Who Raised Me’ is our tribute to the fathers who were willing to be misunderstood because they cared more about who we would become than how we felt in that moment.”
Commenting on the campaign, Mukesh Rishi said, “Every father has played the villain at some point, and I maybe have. Sometimes love means saying no. It means setting boundaries, making difficult decisions and accepting that your children may not understand your reasons immediately. That is what made this campaign so relatable for me. The irony of using my on-screen villain image to tell this story made it even more meaningful.”
Conceptualised and executed by Pocket FM’s in-house creative team, the campaign reflects the brand’s continued focus on storytelling that connects with audiences through relatable cultural insights and everyday human truths.
