BOROLINE

A 90 year old brand started by Gour Mohan Dutta, Boroline is not just any other brand from Bengal
but in a Bengal divided and ravaged by the British rule, Boroline emerged not just as a dependable
commodity, but as an icon of national self-sufficiency.

In 1929, Dutta’s G D Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd began to manufacture the humble perfumed cream and
packaged it in a green tube. It was seen not only as a skincare and medical product for daily use but
also as a blatant protest against foreign-made goods that were being sold by the Britishers to Indians
at exorbitant rates as another tool of economic exploitation.

Even though it is considered as a cult brand, its constituents are simple- boric acid (tankan amla), zinc
oxide (jasad bhasma), perfume, paraffin and oleum, which is Latin for essential oils. In terms of
competition with today’s cluttered skincare market, there are several products of so many ranges, but
none as ubiquitous as this one in Bengal.

The origin story:

Gour Mohan Dutta, a successful entrepreneur in Kolkata, used to import cosmetics from England. In
1905, with the partition of Bengal, the Swadeshi wave engulfed the area and he decided to create an
alternative to the expensive and imported creams available then. He began by fashioning a churner of
25kgs alig with ingredients such as boric acid, zinc oxide and lanoline. In fact the iconic brand name is
also a simple portmanteau of Boric acid and Linolin- Boroline.

His wife Kamala and children would stay up late every night churning the cream and filling pots with
the concoction that he would carry in the morning to his shop in Burrabazar.

Connection with Bengal- “the shurobhito antiseptic cream”:

Even though the brand is highly popular and and originated in Bengal, today it is sold widely across
India. However nothing matches the love that has evolved over the years and made Boroline nothing
less than a cultural artefact for the area. From mothers who who applied it generously on their loved
ones to youngsters who used it for their cuts and burns, it is a ubiquitous part of the daily life of the
household in the Rarh region as a multi purpose ointment that has the cure to every problem.

From cuts, cracks, burns, swellings, to winter-induced dry skin–it is the answer to the problems of
every Bengali, even when they are out of their home state.

The mystery towards it’s success especially in this area has to be attributed to its dependability. Not
only was it a humble sign olf homegrown defiance from the British-rule, the simple ointment in a green
coloured tube not only represents the nationalistic Indian but is also the significant marker of the fast-
growing Bengali middle class, that marked the beginning of a new era.
The Bengali Bhadra-lok is always well groomed and has manners and dignity- something only aided by
this green tube.

As the story goes, the quintessential Bengali cream completed its 90th anniversary in 2019. Admittedly,
the Managing Director of GD Pharmaceuticals, Debashis Dutta himself was not aware of this until it
began trending online and they started receiving fan mail.

As Dutta says, the publicity has been mostly through word of mouth. There have been so many stories
and quirky memories attached to their brand that they still receive lot of letters daily- ones they used
to reply indivivually to until sometime back.

As Dutta says this “curious all-purpose miracle cure” is so strong that the company has not changed
the formulation since its launch. The company has also not felt the need to invest in a social media or
customer support team, as loyalists do an excellent job of it, he says.

The communication too stays rooted to the true blue Bengalis who may have become more
comfortable with a western tongue, but carry a little bit of Bengal in their hearts wherever they go.

In an era after liberalization and numerous foreign and domestic skincare brands competing for their
attention, the well meaning Bengali still carries Boroline along with them wherever they go. For
Bengalis, the “shurobhito (fragrant) antiseptic cream” — as the decades-old jingle goes — is as much
a part of life as, say, the monkey cap.
“A mass brand that evolved into emotional connection- Boroline and the Bengali woman”

Billboard in current times with actress Raima Sen and a 1960s advertisement.

Representation in local pop culture:

The Boroline website still features Sravanti Majumdar’s evergreen jingle: “...baro maas sara ange
mekhe nin, surabhita antiseptic cream Boroline.” The singer, who has been the Voice of Boroline for
over two decades, said she had recorded two jingles for the “antiseptic” cream on Poila Boishakh,
1974, of which one, in which voice and accompaniment were in rare harmony, was retained. It had
many versions and was heard wherever a radio station existed.

The fondness for the cream often sparks some self-deprecating humour too. Three years ago, singer-
vlogger Sawan Dutta kicked up quite a comic storm with her video An ode to Boroline. “It’s good for
my skeen,” she sang with an exaggerated Bengali accent, “and for my keeth and my keen.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=93&v=5OygkS28TAg&feature=emb_logo