Explained: Tamannaah’s Mysore Sandal Deal and Non-Kandiga Ambassador Bailsh
Actor Tamannaah was signed as the brand ambassador of Mysore Sandal Soap, who did not go down well with a portion of people on the Internet. Many people questioned the Karnataka government’s decision to appoint a Bollywood actor for the brand on Kannada actors.
In short
- The Government of Karnataka has appointed Tamana as a brand ambassador for Mysore sandal soap in a deal of Rs 6.2 crore.
- It launched a backlash on the choice of a non-canada actor instead of local sandalwood talent
- Karnataka Minister defends steps to expand the brand access beyond Karnataka markets
The Karnataka government’s decision to appoint actor Tamannaah Bhatia as a brand ambassador for Mysore sandal soap has created a wave of online backlash. With a deal of Rs 6.20 crore signed for two years, a section of people is questioning why a non-Kanada actress was selected on homegron talent. MB Patil, Minister of Commerce and Industries, Infrastructure Gok have defended their decision, calling it a way to reach the markets beyond Karnataka.
Mysore sandal soap has been built since 1916 and is still one of the most popular options in the south. The King of Mysore, Krishna King Vadiyar IV established a government soap factory in Bengaluru in the early 1900s. Therefore, the brand holds cultural significance in Karnataka.
As Tamannaah is making headlines to increase a brand deal, we explain why and how this professional gig has snowed into a dispute.
Why is Tamanna’s brand deal facing backlash?
Actor Tamannaah Bhatia enjoyed 28.2 million followers on Instagram and 5.8 million followers on X. Being an actor with Pan-India access, he has represented several brands throughout his career.
Recently, he was appointed as a brand ambassador for Mysore sandals soap and other products, produced by Karnataka Soap and Detergent Limited (KSDL). His contract on a large scale of Rs 6.2 crore has been prepared for two years.
While the deal could be another professional milestone for Tamannaah, a section of social media users expressed disappointment with the Karnataka government to choose ‘Odella 2’ an actor on Kannada actors.
Government of Karnataka faces internet users anger
Soon after the news of Tamanna’s appointment, the brand ambassador of the soap broke, many people congratulated him. However, some raised relevant questions for the Karnataka government over the decision to ignore local talents from the Kannada film industry. “Is there a lack of talent in sandalwood?” Asked a user, while the other criticized the government for not promoting local artists and culture.
An X user tagged Karnataka Minister MB Patil and asked, “When local Kannada young actresses like @ashiKarangaanath could be taken as brand ambassadors, appoint and promote Hindi people @mbpatil (SIC).”
Here’s the post:
Another user asked whether it was worth signing actor Tamannaah for two years.
Here’s the post:
While some of them questioned the government’s decision, others also defended the government.
Here are some reactions:
Bigg Boss Kannada contestant also opposed the appointment of Tamanna as a brand ambassador.
Pro-Kanada workers are also opposing the appointment of Tamna Bhatia as the brand ambassador of Mysore Sandal Soap.
Karnataka Minister defends brand ambassador choice
MB Patil, Minister of Commerce and Industries, Minister of Infrastructure Gok, explained to the decision of Karnataka Soap and Detergent Limited to choose Tamanna as a brand ambassador. Saying that the brand already remember a lot within Karnataka, he wrote, “However, the Mysore Sandals intend to enter the markets from Karnataka to the markets (SIC).”
The minister further said that the decision came after discussion with marketing experts. He also listed parameters to choose a brand ambassador.
Here is his response:
Minister MB Patil said that KSDL has to increase the annual revenue by 5,000 crores by 2028.
Tamannaah does not react to the controversy yet.
