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By:

Divyaa Advaani 

2 November 2024 at 8:58:38 am

Being Liked Is Not Branding

AI Generated Image Think of someone specific you met in the last six months who seemed genuinely interested in connecting further. The conversation was warm. There was energy in it. They said all the right things — let us stay in touch, I would love to explore this further, I will reach out next week. And then they did not. Not because they were rude or dismissive. Not because something went wrong. But because by the time next week arrived, you had simply faded. This is one of the most...

Being Liked Is Not Branding

AI Generated Image Think of someone specific you met in the last six months who seemed genuinely interested in connecting further. The conversation was warm. There was energy in it. They said all the right things — let us stay in touch, I would love to explore this further, I will reach out next week. And then they did not. Not because they were rude or dismissive. Not because something went wrong. But because by the time next week arrived, you had simply faded. This is one of the most quietly expensive things that happens to accomplished founders — and almost none of them know it is happening. Being liked is not the same as being remembered. Being remembered is not the same as being recalled at the right moment. And being recalled at the right moment is the only version of any of this that actually creates business. The gap between a pleasant first impression and a phone call that begins with "I immediately thought of you" is not filled by warmth or competence or even a genuinely great conversation. It is filled by a personal brand strong enough to occupy a specific, distinct place in someone's mind long after the meeting has ended. Here is what most founders are not told. When someone leaves a conversation thinking "what a lovely person" they have given you a compliment. When they leave thinking "she is exactly the person I would call if I ever needed to solve this specific problem for someone I care about" they have given you a business. The difference between those two outcomes is not how much they liked you. It is how clearly they understood what you stand for and who you are for. Most accomplished founders are genuinely likeable. Many are impressive. Very few are specific enough to be recalled at the moment an opportunity arises. They exist in the minds of their network as pleasant, capable, talented — and entirely interchangeable with the other pleasant, capable, talented people those same contacts met last month. That interchangeability is costing you more than you realise. Every time someone in your network encounters an opportunity that should be yours and instead recommends someone else — not because they like that person more, but because that person's name surfaced first and most clearly — your brand has failed at its most fundamental job. The founders who get called first are not always the most qualified. They are the most memorable. Not memorable in the sense of flashy or loud or relentlessly present online. Memorable in the sense that when a specific need arises, a specific face and a specific name and a specific value proposition surface together, clearly and immediately, without the contact having to work to reconstruct who you are and what you do. That kind of memorability is not an accident of personality. It is the result of a personal brand built with enough clarity, consistency and intention that it leaves a distinct impression rather than a pleasant but general one. It is the difference between being someone people enjoyed meeting and being someone people think of when it counts. Think about your own network right now. When an opportunity arises that is perfect for you — do the right people think of you immediately? Or do they think of you eventually, after they have already recommended someone else, and feel a pang of recognition that they should have called you first? If it is the second — your brand is not broken. It is just not specific enough yet. And that is entirely fixable. I work with founders on exactly this — building a personal brand clear and consistent enough that the right people think of them first, not eventually. If you are ready to stop being the person people liked and start being the person they call, book your consultation call with me on this link: https://www.calendly.com/divyaaadvaani/founder-brand-audit — Divyaa Advaani, Personal Branding Strategist (The author is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)

The Outlier Who Redefined Cinema

Writer: Bharati Dubey
Bharati Dubey
13 hours ago
2 min read

Some actors rely on glamour and good looks to make history; others create history purely through the strength of their craft. Nana Patekar belonged to that rare second category. From his humble beginnings in coastal Maharashtra, to becoming one of the most formidable performers in Indian cinema, his journey is a masterclass in grit, instinct, perseverance, and raw talent.


Growing up in Murud, a young Nana grappled with deep-seated insecurities about his appearance. Living with relatives, painting cinema hoardings to earn a living, he could scarcely have imagined the impact he would one day make on Indian cinema.


His electrifying performance in the iconic Marathi play ‘Purush’ established him as an actor of exceptional intensity.


Making His Mark

In Marathi cinema, his portrayal of Jakkal in director Rajdatt’s ‘Maaficha Sakshidar’, inspired by the infamous Joshi-Abhyankar serial murders, sent chills down audiences’ spines.


Soon afterwards, N. Chandra’s ‘Ankush’ propelled him into the Hindi cinema mainstream. It marked the arrival of an unconventional star who would go on to rewrite the rules of screen performance.


Over the decades, Nana became synonymous with fiery, high-voltage monologues. In films such as ‘Pratighat’, ‘Krantiveer’ and ‘Tirangaa’, audiences flocked to single-screen theatres to experience his explosive dialogue delivery.


Yet, in an inspired casting decision, Sanjay Leela Bhansali chose this very powerhouse of dialogue to portray a mute father in ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’.


Nana delivered one of his most memorable performances through restrained gestures, expressive eyes, subtle body language, and profound emotional depth. 


Unusual Choices

Nana was never an actor who could be confined to a particular genre or screen image. He developed enduring creative associations with filmmakers such as Mehul Kumar, Partho Ghosh, Prakash Jha, and Ram Gopal Varma, appearing in films including Ab Tak Chhappan, Bhoot, and The Attacks of 26/11.


He embraced Gulzar’s distinctive cinematic sensibility in ‘Hu Tu Tu’ and held his own alongside some of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated stars like Raaj Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.


Whether playing a troubled young man, an uncompromising police officer, a ruthless antagonist, a vulnerable father, or an eccentric character, Nana brought an unmistakable individuality to every role. His performances were seldom predictable and rarely conventional.


Off-screen, Nana remained something of an enigma. Known for his fiery temperament and reluctance to conform to Bollywood’s carefully cultivated culture of diplomacy, he has often found himself at the centre of controversies and professional disagreements.


Yet, his commitment to his craft remained a defining characteristic. 


He never seemed particularly interested in cultivating the conventional image of a film star. Instead, he has allowed his performances and fiercely independent choices to speak for themselves.


Much like Om Puri, Nana Patekar challenged the long-held belief that conventional good looks were essential to achieving stardom. 


His journey stands as a reminder that an actor need not fit the industry’s established mould to become unforgettable.

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