                 a man shows a packet of governmentsupplied &39nirodh&39 condoms after collecting it from a distribution center at a hospital in new delhi. reuters photowhen it comes to the wrappers of governmentsupplied condoms, boring is out, attractive is in, but erotic is too much.india is readying a redesign of the staid packaging of its halfcenturyold condom brand, incorporating pictures of handsome men and gorgeous women, in a desperate bid to seduce customers drawn to fancier versions sold by private firms.the government gives away 650 million &39nirodh&39 condoms each year in its safe sex campaign, but the textheavy display and condoms crammed into a white plastic wrapper are a turnoff for many."the governmentmade condom looks sick," said vinod poddar, a taxi driver in new delhi, who has avoided the brand for years. "we need looks and quality, and it lacks both."to change this perception, the health ministry has set up a panel to review pictures as well as more vibrant colours for the wrappers of condoms made by stateowned hll lifecare.the male condom market in india, which has a population of more than 1.2 billion, was worth more than rs 950 crore 152 million by 2011 and is expected to grow 18 this year, says market research agency ken research.but nirodh fell out of favour over the years, in the face of competition from pricier durex, made by the reckitt benckiser group and kamasutra, made by the indian unit of australia&39s ansell ltd. indian firms ttk healthcare and mankind pharma also sell condoms.while durex uses vivid colours on its condom packs, kamasutra and other indian brands deploy pictures of scantily clad models.although "attractive" is the keyword in conservative india, where many men are still too embarrassed to shop for condoms, health ministry officials vowed not to go too far."the packaging will have attractive images of couples, but they will not be erotic," said one.the free nirodh condoms cost the exchequer re 1.8 apiece, but the government is willing to cough up more to boost their appeal to youngsters. in comparison, each durex condom costs about rs 12.many villagers shun nirodh because it&39s badly packaged and doesn&39t match the quality of rivals, a health worker in chhattisgarh told reuters.the government vouches for the quality of its condoms, with a health ministry official saying they will be a lot more popular in their new avatar."nirodh is not finding favour right now," the official said. "but you will be tempted to pick up the product." 
