Maidaan Saaf showcases how public-private partnerships can enable large-scale behavioral change.
Mumbai: Coca-Cola India’s landmark ‘Maidaan Saaf’ campaign, which helped reimagine waste management and recycling at one of the world’s biggest events, the Maha Kumbh 2025, is set to be featured in an upcoming documentary premiering on Discovery Channel on 19th May 2025 at 7PM and discovery+ on 20th May 2025. Filmed on location at the Kumbh Mela grounds in Prayagraj, the documentary captures Coca-Cola India’s on-ground efforts to transform one of the largest events in the world into a cleaner, safer, and more inclusive space by leveraging technology, partnerships, and purpose.
“Maidaan Saaf reflects our commitment to translating intent into impact,” said Devyani RL Rana, Vice President – Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability for Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia. “As we work towards our goals of designing more recyclable packaging, increasing the use of recycled materials, and supporting collection at scale, initiatives like Maidaan Saaf help raise awareness about how this is coming to life in deeply local and culturally resonant ways. The Maha Kumbh offered a unique opportunity to showcase how responsible design, and collective action can create meaningful change, anchored in community, collaboration, and care for the environment.”
“We believe in the power of storytelling to inspire change” said, Tanaz Mehta, Head of Advertising Revenues, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery. “The Maidaan Saaf campaign is a compelling testament to what can be achieved when cultural legacy, community participation, and modern sustainability practices come together. This documentary shines a light on the collective will that helped make one of the world’s largest gatherings more environmentally responsible.”
The documentary features Akanksha Rana, IAS Officer on Special Duty at Maha Kumbh 2025, who played a critical role in managing on-ground sanitation efforts. “Every day, nearly 1 to 2 crore people used to visit the Kumbh, generating over 500 to 600 metric tonnes of waste. In such dense crowds, where road access is limited and deploying machinery becomes difficult, maintaining sanitation is a major challenge. It is encouraging to see private companies like Coca-Cola India come forward and support such a massive event. Their contributions toward promoting responsible behavioural change, and the reuse of materials have significantly helped make this Kumbh more sustainable.”
From deploying Reverse Vending Machines and using recycled PET materials in public utilities to engaging local communities in waste segregation and raising awareness on recycling, Maidaan Saaf showcases how public-private partnerships can enable large-scale behavioral change.
Coca-Cola’s extensive engagement at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 was also spotlighted in the company’s recent earnings report, which recognized the event as a significant brand activation milestone. The report detailed the deployment of hundreds of refreshment zones, approximately 1,400 mobile stations, and a world-record-long 100-door cooler wall, culminating in over 180 million servings during the festival. This acknowledgment underscores the company’s commitment to integrating cultural relevance with community engagement on a global scale.
