Akshay Kumar got himself in the middle of a light-hearted moment when it appeared that a reporter had a joke about Bollywood stars and pan masala-based advertisements. The actor, who is currently promoting his upcoming film *Haiwaan*, was speaking at an Acer event after being named as brand ambassador of the brand when the question was raised.
During the interview, a reporter made a casual reference to the debate on celebrity endorsements by saying that while Bollywood stars were endorsing “kesar”, Akshay Kumar was associated with Acer. The wordplay seemed to refer to the recent controversy involving Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff, who have been making headlines for their photo in a Vimal Elaichi advertisement.
The question Akshay had just asked was so unexpected that he was laughing. Akshay did not respond in detail to the question, but seemed to be amused by it and did not give an answer to it in a simple way. He was met with laughter, hooting and applause at the event. The short interaction became so interesting because Akshay has a history with the brand Vimal.
Akshay Kumar was associated with the Vimal Elaichi campaign alongside other Bollywood stars. But his participation in the campaign was met with severe criticism from the public who questioned the association of major film stars with products associated with the pan masala and tobacco industry.
Akshay publicly apologised and explained that he was walking away from the endorsement. In an apology to his fans, the actor said that what they said really affected him. He also said he had not endorsed tobacco and was sorry for the concerns about his association with Vimal Elaichi.
Akshay announced that his endorsement fee would be donated to a good cause. He also said that, while the advertisements would still be broadcast during the legally binding period of his contract, he would be more careful in future in terms of the choices he made.
The recent incident happens as the Vimal Elaichi campaign of Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff has come under regulatory scrutiny in Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration issued show-cause notices to the three actors on August 11 for the advertisement. They have 15 days to respond to the notices.
The regulator has since questioned whether the advertisement could be seen as indirectly or surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala. Maharashtra has restrictions on such advertising, and the FDA has reportedly investigated elements including the use of the Vimal brand name, references to the product and dialogue in the commercial.
The notices were delivered to Shah Rukh Khan’s Bandra residence, Mannat, Ajay Devgn’s Juhu home and Tiger Shroff Productions LLP. The matter has thus reopened the debate about whether celebrities should promote products that are believed to be associated with tobacco or pan masala, even if the advertisement is for a different product like elaichi.
The celebrity endorsement of pan masala-related brands has long been polarizing in India, too, as film stars are extremely influential in the world of cinema. And although surrogate advertisements are based on products like mouth fresheners or elaichi, critics say that the branding can also serve to perpetuate the association of pan masala products.
Akshay’s decision to withdraw from the Vimal campaign had made him different from several other celebrities associated with the brand. His reply was thus even more interesting because the reporter’s question indirectly brought his history back into the picture.
Akshay is busy working on his upcoming projects like "Haiwaan". The actor is busy working all the time and we know that the film is one of the projects that he is promoting at present.
The “Acer over kesar” moment may have lasted only a few seconds, but it managed to link Akshay’s current brand association with an older controversy involving the actor himself. His reply with laughter and not to comment directly ensured that it was all light and happy, and the question again came up about celebrity endorsements and surrogate advertising in Bollywood.
As the Maharashtra FDA’s notices of Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff continue to get underway, the conversation on celebrity responsibility in advertising won’t stop. And Akshay’s earlier decision to step away from the Vimal campaign adds yet another layer to that debate, particularly as Bollywood stars continue to command huge visibility and influence among consumers.
Comments
Please to leave a comment on this article.