Pops and Chax: Meet the Tom and Jerry of the Ad world

The story of Pops aka KV Sridhar and Chax aka KS Chakravarthy begins in the corridors of Ulka, before it became FCB Ulka. It was a time when the digital age was a distant reality, and the duo first crossed paths while working on a campaign for Allwyn Seiko watches. This was in Bangalore, where the Tom and Jerry of the industry, sitting in the opposite corners of the country in Hyderabad and Mumbai, met for the first time.

Pops noticed Chax pacing back and forth, smoking, deep in thought, which inspired the campaign idea: the confidence, relaxation, and body language conveyed by putting your hand in your pocket and showing off the watch. They decided to capture hands wearing the watch in different positions, even showing the watch upside down for a unique perspective.

Pops says, "Chax’s insight was brilliant—people look at your watch more often than you do. It was a magical moment of everything falling into place. We hit it off instantly. There was no disagreement, only a seamless flow of ideas and we were in complete sync."

Chax echoes this sentiment, "It all started by pure happenstance. We discovered that we were completely, totally in sync. This led to a rich, rewarding partnership and an enduring friendship."

Their bond, built on affection and respect, translated seamlessly into their work. One of their successful campaigns was for Goodyear, a tyre company. The duo realised that nobody looks at tyres; people are interested in cars. So, they thought of showing cars without tyres to attract attention. 

Pops shares, “Chax agreed, and we came up with the line, 'All you need is Goodyear to complete the picture.' We needed the latest car pictures for the campaign, but there was no internet or easy access to such images. I called top photographers in Detroit and LA and managed to get the latest car models. Without Chax's support, it wouldn't have been possible. He accompanied me in the office, staying up all night, smoking cigarettes, and expecting calls."

Their friendship was not just confined to boardrooms and brainstorming sessions. Pops and Chax connected over music, with Woodstock and pop tunes providing the soundtrack to their budding friendship. Pops reminisces, “We connected with music, ideas, and creativity. Both of us were not heavy smokers, but for creative juices, we used to smoke often.” 

Pops and Chax’s deep bond is beautifully reflected in their musical choices. Pops reveals that he would dedicate Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel’s album Separation to Chax, describing it as a fitting metaphor for their complex yet respectful partnership.

As Pops puts it, “It’s an epitome of two partners and friends who know too much about each other and have deep respect, yet experience moments of irritation.”

On the other hand, Chax would dedicate The Beatles to Pops, reminiscing about their days spent in Bangalore, surrounded by nature and listening to The Beatles in Pops’ old jalopy, as his own Jeep lacked a sound system.

Their shared love for motorcycles further solidified their bond, making their relationship more than just a professional alliance.

Chax is one year older than Pops, and in advertising, Pops is probably one or two years older than him. Pops shares, "We both started in the 80s. It's all about mutual respect, trust, understanding, having a wavelength, and learning from each other. Learning and teaching have been constants between us, even now. When we talk, we exchange knowledge and respect each other's insights."

Their complementary working relationship saw Chax presenting the work to clients while Pops ensured the work was done in the background. "Our roles complemented each other perfectly, and we trusted each other completely. This teamwork extended beyond just the two of us. We partnered with client-servicing guys and planners, which gave great results. Understanding, not arguing too much, and building things together were key."

The duo has worked together at multiple agencies, but their collaborations were never premeditated. One would join an agency, and soon after, the other would receive an offer to join the same agency, making their partnership a series of fortunate coincidences.

The duo had received offers from Lintas and met with Kersy Katrak and Alyque Padamsee. Alyque had them present to the entire management committee of Lintas, and their work surprised everyone as they had deeply immersed themselves in understanding the brand, market, and consumers.

Pops shares that this was the only time they decided to join an agency as a team.

During the lunch break, Alyque suggested the duo to let the general managers pitch to them, allowing them to decide which unit to join. The general managers were aware that one unit couldn't accommodate both of them.

They asked us to work separately, but we insisted on working as a team. They even offered us one cheque to split, which we found odd. We then joined Lintas as a team.

-Pops

Pops and Chax’s partnership has endured due to mutual respect and the ability to support each other personally and professionally. Pops explains, "If one of us can't travel, the other will. If one can't attend a group, the other will. We cover each other completely. This extends to other partners we've worked with."

When asked about their interchangeability, Pops clarifies, "It means that I can do what Chax can do, and he can do what I can do. One of us is enough; both are replaceable by each other. If one of us goes for a meeting, it doesn't matter if it's me or Chax; people think I am Chax and he is Pops. Our personal and professional relationships, the friendship, and the love are what make this possible."

Pops explains the key to their successful partnership.

He says, "If Chax's conviction on an issue is stronger than mine, I let him lead, and if my conviction is greater, he lets me take the lead. We complement each other well; our relationship is not always 50-50—sometimes I am 80 and he is 20, and vice versa. That balance is why our partnership has worked so effectively."

Shared interests and quirky decisions

As their friendship deepened, so did their shared interests.

From syncing their phone numbers to matching car purchases, Pops and Chax became inseparable, both in and out of the office. Reflecting on their decision to buy matching mobile phones, Chax explains how their close bond influenced even their tech choices. 

He shares, “That was simply a function of our becoming such good friends outside of work that we ended up doing things together, taking decisions together, buying stuff together.”

The duo had worked on a pitch for Cell Phone Operators of India and were shooting some films on the roads. They were provided with mobile phones to shoot with, and they discovered how incredibly convenient they were and how much they boosted their productivity.

“These were the days when only pompous suits had mobiles,” shares Chax. “So only Arvind Sharma, a very close friend but still the MD and a suit - had one in the agency.”

They found the phones so useful that they both decided to get their own.

Naturally, the numbers were in sequence. I still get calls from people who misdial 9 instead of 8 as the last number.

-Chax

Their car choices followed suit. 

Leo Burnett provided them both with Maruti 800s. The duo decided to upgrade at their cost. This was again, a joint decision. 

Chax shares, “The only choices were a Cielo, which was too loud, an Esteem, and a 118NE. I liked the NE - a really great car to drive. But Pops hated it - he said it is what a child will draw if asked to draw a car. Typical art director.”

They ended up with the same model, the Esteem, another example of their complimentary tastes.

The duo’s working dynamic has always been complementary. Pops shares, "When both of us start talking, we don't stop. I don't speak to people much, not even on anything else. But when it comes to advertising, I'm very passionate. Chax is not like that. He can have five or seven drinks and keep on talking about anything other than advertising. I used to drink socially once or twice. I used to be sober because I was always worried about who would carry Chax home if he drank too much. Thankfully, that situation never arose."

A home next door

One of the more humorous anecdotes of their friendship involves real estate.

Chax shares that he and his wife, Priti, had recently bought a beautiful place in Parel. Priti was interested in investing in a property in Dosti, Wadala, so they went to see it and liked it immediately. They ended up handing over the booking cheque on the spot.

Chax recalls convincing Pops to buy a flat in the same building where he had recently purchased one. “Pops was living in a rented place in Cuffe Parade, paying a fortune. So I piled on, saying, ‘Do something sensible for once; buy here’ (the only flats left were the other three on the same floor). I was protective of him—particularly as he had been diagnosed with a heart issue recently—and constantly urged him to start being more sensible about money. I thought he was being silly spending a huge amount on rent when he could buy a flat,” Chax says.

Eventually, Pops did buy the flat. However, his wife Jayanthi insisted that she would only move if Pops bought two flats and combined them. So, he combined two flats into one sprawling residence. Meanwhile, Chax ended up with a smaller flat next door, which was only for investment purposes, adding a new chapter to their story as neighbours.

This was the only time I drove a joint decision. Our relationship was always, I called the shots on routine stuff like ads and campaigns,  and Pops was the driver of the big, life-changing decisions – moving agencies, moving cities and so on.

-Chax

I bought an apartment in his complex. The property is called Dosti. It shows how things were falling into place.

-Pops

A page from their book

Over the years, their friendship has been marked by unforgettable moments and shared experiences. Chax fondly recalls a time when Pops was desperate to watch a cricket match during an India tour of the West Indies. Pops was alone with a power outage at his house while his wife, Jayanthi, was in Hyderabad. Chax managed to hook up a connection from the meter room to Pops' entry hallway, rigging it to power the whole house.

"We had an early flight the next day," Chax remembers, "and since he was on the way to the airport, I stopped to pick him up. He was curled up in the entrance hall, my jerry-rigged wiring ignored, a mattress on the floor, watching the match on a tiny 4-inch TV on the floor next to him."

This thoughtful gesture highlights the lengths they go to for each other.

On a more humorous note, Chax shares a memory of his 50th birthday. “On a kinder note, he insisted I meet him for lunch on my 50th birthday. Then kicked up a huge fuss at the ITC in Parel, wanting a bigger table. I was as usual laughing at his antics. And then in walked, Arvind, Balki, Aggi, Sunil Manchanda – all very close friends of mine, who Pops had made sure would turn up. That was a really sweet gesture.”

One cherished memory shared by Pops is their playful approach to office dynamics. “We used to publicly start fighting with each other, just to make people comfortable. It’s like being the good cop and bad cop, creating an environment where people felt they could approach us without hesitation.” This playful rivalry, often likened to Tom and Jerry, became a unique way to mentor and bond with their teams.

The duo shares countless amusing moments that have become cherished memories in their friendship. One such episode highlights their playful banter and Chax’s endearing absent-mindedness.

Pops recalls a phone call where Chax was in a bit of a pickle. “Once, I called him, and he said he was busy but was just going to an ATM. He had parked his car and was heading to withdraw some money. He told me he would call me back after he got his cash. I said, ‘No, hang on, I can still speak to you.’ Then he suddenly exclaimed, ‘Oh shit, I forgot my pin! I have the pin in my phone, and I think I’ve left my phone in the car.’”

Pops couldn’t help but chuckle at the mix-up. “I told him, ‘Idiot, we are on a call. You have your phone with you!’” 

Pops has a unique way of introducing Chax that reflects his engineering background.

Chax humorously describes this as, “Pops calls me an Abhimanyu Engineer—I can take apart anything but can’t put it back together again, just like Abhimanyu could enter the Chakravyuh but couldn't get out.”

Pops adds, “Chax is an engineer by qualification, but I joke that he’s a B.E. A.B.F., which stands for 'Appeared But Failed.' He never went back to collect his degree or check if he passed; he just moved straight into work. So although he has his marks now, I introduce him to clients as ‘Chax, B.E. A.B.F. – Appeared But Failed.’”

Such moments, filled with humour and camaraderie, display the unique bond they share, where even the smallest mishaps become sources of joy and laughter.

As we celebrate the extraordinary bond between Pops and Chax, it becomes clear that their friendship is a rare gem. It is a relationship built on trust, respect, and a shared passion for their craft. Their story is a reminder that in a world where professional alliances often come and go, some connections are destined to last a lifetime.

Pops aptly sums it up: "It's like having a brother from another mother. Our bond is based on affection, respect, and a deep-seated understanding that no matter where life takes us, we will always be there for each other."