What about the strong emphasis on moral decency imposed by Indian society on all forms of media? Does Hital feel like it hampers creative expression in any way? "I think our culture is what makes us different from the rest of the world -- it helps us stand out. If we were to switch to Western concepts, we'd have gelled with the West completely, and lost our individuality. There'd be no Bollywood-style entertainment, nothing unique to offer -- essentially, we would have no style of our own anymore."

Remind him of the charges brought against Tuff Shoes a few years ago, for their nude print advertisement featuring models Madhu Sapre and Milind Soman, and he says, "Well, that advertisement wasn't original -- it was inspired by a famous Western concept. I personally don't feel the need to resort to anything provocative when it comes to ideation. There's always a better way."

As far as plagiarism in the industry is concerned, Hital doesn't think there's due cause for concern. "You rarely see cases of blatant plagiarism in Indian advertising circles today," he says.

But he does have a message for industry newcomers with regards to plagiarism. "Be assured of one thing -- if you're committed and passionate towards your work, and have a flair for observance and simplicity, you'll go far. Don't ever resort to copying someone else's ideas -- try to come up with a better one instead!"