Remembering Talha Nazim, ‘A Larger Than Life Human Being’, On His Birthday

Ogilvy India's Executive Creative Director, Syed Mohammed Talha Nazim's life was cut short due to Covid-19 in his mid-40s, a tragedy the advertising & creative industry of India is still coping with.

Syed Mohammed Talha Nazim

New Delhi: "Najaf’s charm, like his smile, was infectious. Whenever I recollect his face, his twinkling eyes tug at my heart." That’s how novelist Nuzar Mannan remembers Talha Nazim, or Najaf, as he was also known.

His ‘Simina Phoopi’ is not alone. Syed Mohammed Talha Nazim, Ogilvy India's Executive Creative Director whose life was cut short by Covid-19 in May this year, is missed by every life he touched, both in the advertising and creative industry and outside it, during the 40-odd years he lived on this planet.

It’s his birthday today, August 27, a day when his family, closest friends, and colleagues can’t help but recall their association with “a larger than life human being".

Close friend and documentary filmmaker Ankur Roy Chowdhury met him when he was a teenager, for English tutorials. “...he confided in me, over cups of tea over opened textbooks, that he wanted to become an advertising copywriter!”

Talha followed through with his plan. After studies, he joined an advertising firm in Kolkata, and three years later he was a Junior Copywriter at Leo Burnett in Mumbai, at the same desk Ankur had vacated a year earlier.  

This is where Talha's career flourished. "A young scrawny boy from Kolkata who walked into the Mumbai office of Leo Burnett so many years ago, his creativity soon blossomed into a force that would be recognized all over the world," says his former boss Agnello Dias.

"Ideas gravitated toward him like moths to a flame. Ideas on spiritualism, family, environment, sports, citizenry, literature, cinema… the list is endless. He packed more in life than most of us do in many lifetimes," he added.

Talha was ranked the Number Two Creative Director in the world by The One Show in 2014. His work took him places — from Kolkata to Mumbai to Delhi to Bangalore to Kuala Lumpur. And along the way, he picked up over 280 national and international awards, including six Cannes Lions. 

Talha’s campaigns for Hyundai, Kia, Google, Nescafe, Reebok, JSW Steel still bear testimony to his genius. The protagonist of the JSW Steel commercial was wrestler Geeta Phogat, who inspired the Aamir Khan-starrer, Dangal.

His KIA commercial during FIFA World Cup 2018 was featured on the FIFA’s official Facebook page. 

Talha sat on the jury of prestigious award shows like London International Awards and Spikes Asia, and his work for Penguin Audiobooks is India’s most awarded campaign yet.

Piyush Pandey, Chairman of Ogilvy India & Global Creative, remembers Talha as a “very talented creative soul” who was snatched away from the world abruptly.

“To me, the outpouring of sentiments after the sad passing away of Talha was the truest measure of the man,” he says.

Pandey recalls the memorial meeting after his passing: “...what stood out for me throughout the memorial meeting we had for him, was so many people speaking about how Talha had shown them how to live life to the fullest. That lesson is the richest legacy he has left behind for all of us.”

Talha was an ‘achiever’ in his personal life too. 

His biggest achievement, says business partner Arnab Roy, was his ability to win hearts.

Talha was friends with Jehangir, his car cleaner in Mumbai, “with equal ease as with successful corporate honchos”, Roy recalls. "A true Calcutta boy who never forgot his roots for me Talha and his curiosity is to cherish forever."

"Talha was an extremely affectionate, considerate, and amicable person. He respected everybody around him despite their age, religion, or walk of life," remembers sister Saeba Kamal. "For him life meant, to enjoy every single moment, his kindness and empathy charmed everyone around him. He was a gregarious man, his passion to explore, innovate and create kindled this characteristic in him. His wisdom will live on through his legacy, which was to love faithfully, work hard, and trust in those you love," she adds. 

Rahul Bhasin, his friend from school, describes him as a “fiercely loyal friend”. 

In his birthday message for Talha, he writes: "No Birthday will be the same without sharing a cake or chatting with you. From his Iron Maiden & Guns N Roses T-shirts to baggie pants, dude you always rocked it. Rock ON! Let us celebrate the sweet memories of Talha- the fights, laughter, pranks, and endless debates. Happy Birthday!"