Godrej Consumer Products’ ‘Machar Hai, Mehman Nahi’ public service film

Mosquitoes and the diseases they spread continue to pose a serious public health challenge in India. Yet their presence has become so routine that it is often ignored. With the belief that mosquitoes should not be treated as harmless visitors, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) has, as part of its CSR initiative Elimination of Mosquito Borne Endemic Disease (EMBED), launched a public service film titled ‘Machar Hai, Mehman Nahi’ urging households across India to rethink how easily mosquitoes are allowed into everyday spaces. This CSR initiative is in line with GCPL’s impact-oriented culture that focuses on creating real change for communities. 

Mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue, Malaria, and Chikungunya continue to affect millions across India each year. According to national health data, India reported over 1.13 lakh dengue cases in 2025 alone, underlining the urgent need for stronger community awareness and preventive action beyond the monsoon season.

 

Inspired by India’s deep-rooted tradition of hospitality, where guests are welcomed with warmth and respect, the campaign turns this cultural instinct on its head. ‘Machar Hai, Mehman Nahi’ (A mosquito is not a guest) reminds households that not every visitor deserves an invitation. The film creatively reinterprets the iconic phrase ‘Padharo Mare Desh’ into ‘Na Padharo Mare Desh’, reinforcing the message that mosquitoes should never be welcomed inside homes. It draws attention to how everyday habits, such as stagnant water in coolers, uncovered buckets, or neglected corners around homes, can unknowingly become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. By reframing mosquitoes as unwelcome intruders rather than harmless visitors, the film encourages families to adopt simple preventive practices to keep their homes and communities safe.

 

Commenting on the film, Sudhir Sitapati, MD and CEO, Godrej Consumer Products Limited, said, “Mosquito-borne diseases remain a major public health concern. It requires collective awareness and sustained behavioural change. Through ‘Machar Hai, Mehman Nahi’ we wanted to use a cultural insight that resonates deeply with Indian households. By rethinking the idea of hospitality, we hope to inspire people to take simple but effective preventive steps that keep their homes and communities safer.”

 

 Creative storyteller Swati Bhattacharya, who conceptualised and wrote the campaign film, said, “ In India, hospitality is not just a tradition - it is an instinct. Just like we welcome guests, we also welcome mosquitoes with stagnant water and open rubbish bins. Lets unfriend the mosquito and have an anti-hospitality qawwali - machhar hai mehmaan nahin.”

At the heart of the campaign is a thought-provoking video film that uses storytelling and cultural symbolism to encourage families to become vigilant hosts by preventing mosquito breeding inside and around their homes. ‘Machar Hai, Mehman Nahi’ will be activated through a multi-channel awareness program including school engagement initiatives, community outreach drives, large-scale wall art across Maharashtra, radio storytelling, and a national digital movement encouraging citizens to ‘Unfriend the Mosquito’.