Beyond Father’s Day: Prega News ad about expectant dads continues to resonate

Released around 15 June, the film features stand-up comic Aashish Solanki trying on a pregnancy empathy belly. It begins with humour—he struggles to sit, bend, or sleep comfortably. His wife watches, amused. But soon, the mood pivots. She’s joined by friends, and what follows isn’t mockery but acknowledgement—not of his imitation, but of his lived efforts.

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The film subtly unpacks the small but significant things men do during pregnancy that rarely find a place in narratives. From managing finances and running errands to simply being emotionally available—these aren’t dramatic gestures, but they are acts of partnership.

This campaign is a marked shift in Prega News’s storytelling. Traditionally, pregnancy ads have focused on the mother—rightly so—but this one gently widens the lens. The message is clear: fatherhood doesn’t begin in the delivery room. It begins from the moment of those two pink lines.

What makes the ad work is its simplicity. There’s no soaring music or overwrought monologue. It’s observational, almost documentary-like. The camera lingers just long enough for viewers to vicariously recognize themselves—or people they know—in these everyday scenarios.

The campaign is backed by compelling data: 95% of Indian fathers today believe parenting is a shared responsibility, and 94% say they actively help with household chores. But the emotional impact goes beyond statistics. It validates a quiet truth of modern Indian parenting—that men, too, are deeply involved, even if their contributions often go unseen or unspoken.

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By placing this story in the Father’s Day window, Prega News makes a timely yet enduring point: celebration needn’t be loud. Recognition can be subtle. The brand, in doing so, transitions from being mother-centric to embracing a more inclusive, co-parenting narrative.

The campaign resonated strongly online, striking a chord with both men and women, many of whom called it “honest” and “long overdue.” And in a year filled with flashy tributes and branded sentimentality, this ad stands out simply because it feels true.

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Even a week later, it stays with you. Because some roles are not invisible—they’re just not always acknowledged.