G-SHOCK India's new film, shot with the same existing product and the same familiar face

G-SHOCK has released a brand film titled "Unfazed by Time." It stars actor Vicky Kaushal, features the "LUXE BLACK" series, an interpretation of the 2100 collection, was produced by Ducktape Studios, and directed by Raylin Valles. Advertising trade outlet Campaign India reported this on September 21, 2026. Built without introducing either a new product line or a new face, the film gives Japanese brands that run celebrity-led advertising in India something to weigh: how much product development should accompany an annual refresh.

What changed from 2025's "Rise Above the Shocks"

This is not the first G-SHOCK India film to feature Kaushal. A local outlet reported on June 18, 2025 on a film titled "Rise Above the Shocks," which centered on the DW-5000R, a modern update of the original G-SHOCK, alongside appearances by the GA-2100, DW-5600, and GA-110. It was produced by Method Productions and directed by John Fredrick Peter. This time, the product changed to the LUXE BLACK series, the production team changed to Ducktape Studios and director Raylin Valles, and the campaign name changed to "Unfazed by Time."

What stayed the same is the actor. Kaushal was already introduced as brand ambassador in a release Casio India distributed in December 2023, and the article covering this latest announcement also refers to him as "ambassador Vicky Kaushal."

The intent is preserved in their own words. Takuto Kimura, Managing Director of Casio India, said, “G-SHOCK has always evolved by staying true to its core while finding new ways to connect with changing generations,” and went on to say that this time he wanted to express that idea in a way that matches how people today see themselves and those around them. Kaushal himself said, “What I connect with most about ‘Unfazed by Time’ is the idea of not letting external circumstances define who you are.” Multiple articles report that the film is structured around the protagonist moving through scenes of tension, confusion, and conflict while remaining unfazed.

The featured product is not a new line but an interpretation of the existing 2100 collection

On the product side, what is written is only that LUXE BLACK is an interpretation of the 2100 collection, keeping the octagonal silhouette while finishing it in deep matte black with restrained metallic accents. No new model line or movement announcement accompanies it. None of the articles read for this piece mention pricing, a release date, or rollout to other markets, including Japan.

In other words, the product side is limited to a finish change on an existing collection, while what changed is on the advertising side: the film, production company, director, and campaign name. This makes it possible to cycle the brand's annual refresh without waiting on a new product development cycle. For a Japanese brand looking to build up India-facing communications at a once-a-year pace, generating a year's worth of buzz from a new color finish and a fresh shoot on an existing product is a practical way to avoid communications stalling while waiting in line for product development.

When drawing up a brand timeline, it is worth noting the source and the point in time. Casio India's 2023 release states that Project Team Tough, aimed at creating a shock-resistant watch, was formed in 1981 and went through more than 200 prototypes over roughly two years. For the year of commercialization, the same release writes "Envisioned in 1983," while trade outlet The Hans India writes "Launched in 1983."1981 is the year the project started, not the launch year. For cumulative sales figures, Casio India's December 2023 release states "over 100 million units in 100 countries," while The Hans India's own text in June 2025 states "over 150 million units in 140 countries" -- and the latter is not a brand statement. When copying a partner brand's cumulative figures into your own materials, it is worth noting which source stated them and as of what year.

Coverage of the same announcement was published over a 13-day spread, from September 8 to September 21

No outlet states the actual announcement date. What could be confirmed is the publication date: the earliest is Fashion Value Chain on September 8, 2026, followed by Advertising Reporter on September 11, and Campaign India on September 21. There is a 13-day gap between the first and the last.

When monitoring Indian advertising outlets from Japan on an ongoing basis, this spread matters in practice. Treating a publication date as the announcement date pushes awareness of a competitor's move back by up to two weeks, and can even lead to counting the same announcement twice as separate cases. Tracing back where the same wording in an article first appeared avoids this.

McDowell's Soda also kept Kartik Aaryan and changed only the can and the tone

The decision to keep a flagship actor in place while refreshing everything around him also shows up in a different category in India in September 2026. Diageo India's McDowell's Soda refreshed its long-running "Yaari" (friendship) platform as "Yaari Ki Nayi Vibe" on September 17. What it kept was the friendship theme, longtime brand ambassador Kartik Aaryan, and the backbone of the brand's music; what it changed was the can's visuals and tone. The breakdown of what was kept and what was changed is covered in How McDowell's Soda refreshed itself without giving up its longtime "friendship" theme. Whereas G-SHOCK kept its actor and changed the product, production team, and campaign name, McDowell's kept the platform name "Yaari" as its banner. The two companies diverged on whether to include the name itself among what stays in place.

There is another axis to celebrity casting. Read along the axis of whether the face chosen is national or regional, D2C dairy brand Country Delight's commercial released on September 18 offers a contrast. Its setup, casting Vijay Sethupathi -- who commands strong support in South India -- as a father figure and targeting South India with the Tamil tagline "Pazhaya Pazhakkam. Puthiya Thodakkam," is covered in How Country Delight sold "the taste of childhood" by casting a South Indian star. Milk, bought fresh every day, and watches are purchased in different ways. Which axis to decide first, keeping something in place or targeting a region, depends on which one's own product is closer to.

G-SHOCK India is also moving on fronts beyond advertising. In the same year, 2026, it also opened a flagship store at a prime street-level location in Mumbai. It kept a face in place in its advertising while adding a location on the retail side. Before evaluating a celebrity casting in isolation, it is worth lining up all the moves the same brand made in the same year.

Sources

• Campaign India, "G-SHOCK launches Unfazed by Time film with Vicky Kaushal" (September 21, 2026)
• Fashion Value Chain, G-SHOCK Launches ‘Unfazed by Time’ with Vicky Kaushal (September 8, 2026)
• Advertising Reporter, G-SHOCK unveils Vicky Kaushal-led ‘Unfazed by Time’ campaign (September 11, 2026)
• MediaBrief, G-Shock launches new campaign ‘Rise Above the Shocks’ with Vicky Kaushal (June 18, 2025)
• The Hans India, Vicky Kaushal fronts G-Shock’s bold new campaign (June 22, 2025)
• PR Newswire, "G-SHOCK marked its 40th Anniversary celebrations with SHOCK THE WORLD powered by Vh1 India in Mumbai" (December 21, 2023)