WhatMakesUsOne: The narrative reveals the invisible thread of unity in diversity through the visible thread of light in the video timeline and stitches a billion voices into one song in an audio timeline.

This thread of light binds all of India as one family, connecting the dots between multiple religions, regions, cultures, languages, and festivals and dissolving our differences and distances at the speed of light.

India is a journey you can’t complete in one lifetime but the thread of light travels across India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Mumbai to Meghalaya, cinematically and metaphorically capturing a day in the life of India through timelapse and timeless transitions.

The musical narrative binds a billion voices into one song, delivering this Idea of India. Celebrating and elevating the same thread of unity in diversity, adversity, and festivity.

Situation: India is the world’s most populous democracy and one of the most religious and ethnically diverse nations. Historically, this diversity has been its strength. However, today, these are becoming differences and threatening to question the idea of India. Against this backdrop, the core Indian principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (meaning ‘One Earth One Family One Future’) is more relevant than ever.

In the 75th year of India’s Independence, The Times of India (TOI), India’s largest circulating English daily, decided to not just chronicle but to shine a spotlight on the beauty of the unity in India’s diversity.

Brief: Remind the people of India that a common thread continues to bind everyone as one nation, despite diverse differences.

Objective: Drive engagement by sparking conversations about what India means to its people, across all platforms.

The musical thread of the invisible ektara (single-string instrument) elevates our 'ekta' ('unity') and binds the speeches of our inspiring leaders into one national narrative delivering the Idea of India, through song and speech, powered by the voices of National leaders from the past and the present; Mahatma Gandhi, Subash Chandra Bose, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Indira Gandhi, AB Vajpayee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All the voices in our head that set fire to India’s imagination with the Idea of India.

Sound and light transit seamlessly as the same thread of light adorns Temples, Churches, Mosques, Gurudwaras, Monasteries, Monuments and Statues across India, highlighting multiple religions, regions and festivals through Gods, Angels, Leaders, Idols, Heroes, and Stars.

Sound Design travels as time travels with the same thread of light through trains, trucks, boats, rickshaws and transitions from one location to another occasion, from one region to another religion.

India was an idea long before it became a free nation. It was the song from a thousand years ago. It was the spirit of thousands of freedom fighters. It was the same thread of unity in diversity and adversity and festivity. It is the same thread that continues to bind us as one nation, despite diverse differences.

But in today’s polarised environment, people look for unifiers to reconfirm their belief in ‘ekta’ (meaning ‘unity’). On this 75th Year of Independence, from India’s Republic Day (marks and celebrates the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950) to Independence Day, TOI launched #WhatMakesUsOne. This platform enabled people to celebrate the idea of India in their own words, such as unity, constitution, culture, cricket, and so on – a united family, blurring boundaries between religions, cultures, and languages.