Can RAGGING help make FRIENDS?

What do you think of this Cadbury Dairy Milk commercial that uses ragging as a peg to sell its product?

These are strange times we are living in.

On one hand, the Government of India plans to outlaw the practice of ragging in colleges -- because ragging has led to a number of suicides and suicide attempts by freshers suffering humiliation at the hands of their seniors -- Cadbury India in its new commercial, on the other hand, has used ragging at a college to promote its flagship Dairy Milk brand.

The ad -- in a fun way -- shows a group of collegians ragging a bunch of juniors when they see another fresher approaching a water cooler. The thirsty chap -- Kapil -- is summoned authoritatively and asked to dance along with the others.

Kapil, to the seniors's surprise, then removes a Dairy Milk from a plastic bag he is carrying and offers a piece to the seniors.

When asked what he is doing, Kapil mouths the tagline: 'Meri mummy kehti hai koi bhi shubh kaam karne se pehle kuch meetha khana chahiye (My mother says one must have something sweet before doing anything auspicious).'

When asked why by one of the seniors, Kapil promptly says: 'Kaam achcha hota hai (you end up doing things well).'

To this, one of the senior responds: 'Meri mummy kehti hai ragging karne se dosti badhti hai (My mummy says ragging helps forge strong friendships).'

Is this commercial promoting the culture of ragging that has led to unfortunate casualties at educational institutions?

Sure, the commercial has a happy ending where Kapil's seniors appreciate his smartness and a voiceover says: 'Nayi dosti ka aarambh. Kuch Meetha ho jaye! (A new friendship has commenced. Let's eat something sweet to celebrate!)', but one wonders if the creative folk behind the ad and Cadbury should have been more careful.

What do you think about the ad?