Just days ago, Lakshya Lalwani appeared in American Eagle India’s newest campaign alongside Ananya Panday with the tagline 'Great Jeans for Everyone' — the pairing instantly lit up social feeds and underlined a rapidly forming truth: Lakshya isn’t just having a moment, he’s becoming a marketing magnet. The ease with which he shifted from high-octane screen presence to a relaxed, denim-driven youth aesthetic showed exactly why brands are moving quickly on him. He fits multiple worlds effortlessly, and more importantly, he signals where the cultural energy is heading.
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When Lakshya made his big-screen debut with Kill, the sleek, high-voltage action film backed by Karan Johar and Guneet Monga, and followed it with the provocative streaming hit The Ba**ds of Bollywood, it became clear that a new kind of leading man had arrived.
Effortlessly blending grit with glamour, Lakshya carried the self-assurance of a seasoned star and the freshness of a newcomer who knows exactly what he’s doing. That rare mix of intensity, style, and timing made him impossible for brands to overlook. Practically overnight, he became the name on every marketing shortlist, the actor whose on-screen momentum was primed to spill over into campaigns, endorsements, and cultural relevance.
The first wave came with Tyaani Jewellery by Karan Johar, which roped him in for its 'Forces of Tyaani' campaign, a move that framed Lakshya as both muse and metaphor. Here was a brand known for its heritage opulence, choosing a young, unorthodox male face to sell modern luxury. The ads were cinematic and striking, echoing the same mood as his film persona, self-assured, slightly rebellious, with a touch of flair. Soon after came his Hide & Seek Milano campaign for Parle, where he lent swagger to a category usually dominated by female leads or familiar stars. A younger audience saw him not as a spokesperson but as a lifestyle reference point. Then came the high-energy Sting energy drink ad, tapping into the post-Kill adrenaline and positioning Lakshya as the face of a new generation that lives on intensity and instant impact.
Masuma Siddique, Founder and Chief Strategist, InkCraft Communications says, “The rise of actors like Lakshya from debut to brand favourite in such a short span reflects how the dynamics of celebrity endorsements have evolved. Today’s audiences connect more with authenticity and relatability than with just stardom. When a new-age actor captures public imagination through a breakout role, brands see a unique window at a time when the audience is emotionally invested but the persona is still forming. Associating at this stage allows brands to build a narrative of freshness and discovery alongside the celebrity’s journey. It’s a storytelling opportunity that resonates deeply with younger consumers who value genuine connection and aspirational relatability over legacy appeal.”
She further adds, “For marketers, this is also a strategic play in risk versus reward. Backing a new face like Lakshya or Aneet Padda allows brands both D2C disruptors and established players to appear future-facing and culturally tuned in. It signals that they have their finger on the pulse of what’s next. In a cluttered media landscape where visibility alone isn’t enough, these partnerships help brands humanize their message and connect with audiences on an emotional level. The actor’s momentum becomes part of the brand’s narrative, and when done right, both grow together the celebrity as a rising star, and the brand as a catalyst for new-age aspiration.”
This seamless migration from screen to brandscape wasn’t just about star power, it was marketing clairvoyance. Lakshya arrived at the perfect cultural intersection: fresh enough to feel aspirational, but not yet overexposed. For brands, that’s gold. Signing him early meant owning the “next big thing” narrative before competitors could. It also allowed creative teams to shape his image through fashion, tonality, and narrative in ways that aligned with brand DNA. For Tyaani, he was elegant with an edge while for Sting, he was pure kinetic energy. Each brand saw a different facet, yet all contributed to the same cultural signal: Lakshya is not just an actor; he’s an idea in motion.
Ambika Sharma, Founder and Chief Strategist, Pulp Strategy says, “I think what we are seeing with Lakshya and Aneet Padda is not coincidence but design. Brand teams are moving faster, picking cultural signals much earlier than before. The “next big thing” strategy is now powered by predictive analytics, talent sentiment mapping, and social buzz analysis, a process that was once instinct-driven is now data-backed. For large brands, it is about owning the cultural moment before the competition does. Signing emerging actors like Lakshya or Aneet Padda gives them fresh recall, lower clutter, and longer runway for association before stardom inflates pricing or divides attention across multiple brands. For D2C brands, the calculation is slightly different, it is about relevance and shared audience value. New faces offer authenticity, relatability, and lower fatigue among younger consumers who have grown skeptical of overexposed celebrities.”
She further adds, “There is risk in this strategy, of course. Early picks are untested at scale, and performance dipsLakshya’s appeal, for instance, lies in his modern screen energy — stylish, confident, aspirational yet accessible. His Sting and Hide & Seek Milano campaigns position him as sharp and spontaneous, which connects naturally with Gen Z. Aneet Paddaarketing in India. The discovery cycle between reel and real influence is collapsing. Smart brands are no longer waiting for box office validation; they are buying into cultural potential, and shaping it in real time through advertising.”
The same story is unfolding on the other side of the glamour spectrum with Aneet Padda, the leading lady of the movie Saiyaara. After making a quiet mark in Salaam Venky and Big Girls Don’t Cry, Aneet exploded into public imagination with Saiyaara, a film that made her the new face of sincerity and sophistication. Within weeks of its release, Lakmé announced her as the co-ambassador for its new 'Be-Jewel' collection alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan, a clear baton pass between generations. Soon after, Mia by Tanishq cast her in its 'Precious Every Day' campaign, reflecting her easy blend of freshness and refinement. Aneet’s appeal lies in her authenticity, grounded, graceful, and current, exactly the trifecta brands crave when they want relatability without losing aspiration.
Harish Bijoor, Brand Guru & Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. says, “The small screen is really the big screen. Viewership when it comes to OTT is big and therefore it doesn't surprise how Lakshya is actually cobbling together brand endorsements. The world of marketing is divided across big brands, medium-sized brands, small brands, D2C brands, e-commerce brands and more. Therefore, there is space for every actor. Brands are actually looking for low-cost investments which could actually turn high in terms of impact, in terms of returns that the brand could gather. Brands are forever looking for that new face, and what happened with Aneet and Lakshya is exactly what's going to pan out for N number of brands, N number of actors who emerge from the terrain of even OTT.”
In both cases, the strategy is identical: catch the comet before it streaks too far. Brand teams today no longer wait for years of stardom to validate an actor. Instead, they track streaming buzz, social engagement, and cultural chatter to find the ones about to break through, then bet big before the rest of the market catches on. For Lakshya, it meant stepping from the screen into national campaigns within months. For Aneet, it meant skipping the slow climb and landing straight in the front row of India’s most visible beauty and jewellery brands.
Together, they represent the new playbook of celebrity marketing, where fame is not the end goal but the beginning of a brand-building race. Lakshya and Aneet are no longer just performers; they’re evolving into brand narratives, embodying stories of new-age ambition, charisma, and relatability. Their swift leap from film sets to ad sets proves that in today’s image economy, the smartest brands don’t just chase stars, they create them.
