McCain Foods is launching its new South Asian-flavored products—Masala Fries and Chili Garlic Potato Bites—with a campaign that pays homage to the songs and dance of Bollywood.

Created with Rethink Canada and helmed by acclaimed Bollywood director Nitin Menon, Masala Movie is an epic, three-and-a-half-minute hero film shot on location in Mumbai, India. 

It’s an affectionate, humorous homage to the much-loved cinematic genre that’s big on dazzlingly-choreographed dance routines, maximalist settings, dramatic slo-mo effects and extreme close-ups. 

An accidental collision of flavors in a bustling marketplace sets off a chain of events that lead to romantic entanglement—and more singing and dancing. 

The costumes were created by Indian fashion designer Maxima Basu, while the choreographer was Longinus Fernandes, responsible for some of Indian cinema’s most celebrated dance scenes, including in the multi Academy Award-winning Slumdog Millionaire.

While the film dutifully pays tribute to a range of Bollywood stylistic motifs, it neatly sidesteps overcooking the parody and cliché, thanks in no small part to both McCain and Rethink’s close work with South Asian team members and discussions with Toronto-based multicultural marketing and communications agency Ethnicity Matters.

In a statement, Matt Kohler, managing director, Canada Retail, McCain Foods, explained that the film’s themes unified different cultures to create something new.

“Thanks to our operations in over 160 countries, we’re able to leverage decades of international expertise to ensure Canadians experience the same trusted quality and taste enjoyed by millions in other markets,” he said.  

Aditya Krishna, Director of sales and marketing, McCain India, added that product sourcing and a series of taste tests were carried out to ensure authenticity.

The two new products are part of McCain’s Flavors of the World line, with more to follow in the future.

Intended to reflect Canadians’ growing interest in new flavors and cultural experiences (including the success of Toronto’s International Film Festival of South Asia), the full Bollywood experience can be enjoyed at mccainmasalamovie.ca.