After nearly 60 years as the official mascot of Air India, the Maharaja is trading in his regal robes and turban for jeans and a smartphone. The update in the mascot’s look was spearheaded by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took office in 2014. In meeting with the leadership of Air India, one of the first assignments Modi handed down to the airline was updating the look of the Maharaja. Modi asked for the mascot to reflect the “aam addimi” - the common man.
As a result, the new Maharaja is a far departure from the mascot debuted in 1946. Sporting a spiked hairstyle and white sneakers, the only similarity to the previous Maharaja is the trademark moustache. Air India officials plan on showcasing the new Maharaja across 27 different setting, reflecting different destinations the airline serves and portraying a star member of the Indian cricket team.
“The new Maharajah is aligned with the modern times and with the new AI which is also trying to cut flab to become a lean commercial entity,” an Air India representative said. “The Maharajah now has a leaner, young, sporty and more dynamic look.”
While the update was made to reflect India as a modern nation, many have criticized the new look. According to Quartz, the more barbed comments on Twitter compare the new Maharaja to a “New York cab driver,” while an editorial published by 'The Economic Times' claims the new Maharaja could “be seen as evidence of the lumbering airline’s earnestness to embark on a radical weight reduction exercise, if not bariatric surgery, just yet.”
