K'taka govt defends move to name Tamannaah Bhatia as brand ambassador for state PSU amid criticism

Bengaluru, May 23 (IANS) The Karnataka government's decision to name actress Tamannaah Bhatia as brand ambassador for its public sector undertaking has stirred a controversy with Kannada organisations raising objections. The Congress led government has issued a clarification and defended its decision in this regard on Friday.

Notably, the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government has appointed Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador for the popular Mysore Sandal Soap manufactured by the public sector undertaking the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL).

The actress has been paid Rs 6.20 crore fee for the same.

Speaking in this regard here on Friday, Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil said: "The Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) is a symbol of the state's identity and pride. Coming from the vachana tradition, I hold immense respect and a stronger commitment to Kannada, Kannadigas, and Karnataka than anyone else. I also admire the artists of this land."

"However, when it comes to business, we must consider competitiveness. Accordingly, actress Tamannaah Bhatia has been appointed as the brand ambassador based on the decision of an expert committee," he clarified.

This should not be viewed negatively, he underlined.

He was responding to questions from media representatives who met him on Friday, in the wake of objections raised by some individuals over Tamannaah’s appointment, citing regional pride.

“Since I took charge of this department, production at KSDL has increased by 40 per cent. Importantly, we haven't purchased any new machinery.

In the FMCG sector, the company has grown by 15 per cent. In comparison, companies like Godrej grew by 11 per cent, Hindustan Unilever by 9 per cent, ITC by 8 per cent, and Wipro by 7 per cent — KSDL has outperformed them," he stated.

"We aim to take KSDL’s turnover to Rs 5,000 crore in the next three years. At that point, we might need a Hollywood actress as brand ambassador. I hope such a situation arises,” he stated.

"Before finalising Tamannaah's name, we had approached actresses like Deepika Padukone and Rashmika Mandanna. We also contacted Sreeleela, Pooja Hegde, and Kiara Advani. Deepika is already promoting her own products, so she declined. The others are brand ambassadors for various cosmetics, creams, and soaps and expressed that they would not be available for the next two years. Hence, we chose Tamannaah, who has 28 million followers on social media and significant pan-India appeal," Patil said.

Recently, 21 new products have been launched through KSDL. We will soon be entering the perfume segment. For this purpose, our officials were sent to Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, a town known for its perfumery, he said.

"When it comes to business, we must adopt suitable strategies. The appointment of a brand ambassador should not be misunderstood. Since we came to power, KSDL's turnover has increased to Rs 1,700 crore, of which the turnover from Karnataka alone is only around Rs 320 crore,” Patil said.

He further stated that, like KSDL, the state-run MSIL is also being restructured, and a chit fund operation with an annual turnover target of Rs 10,000 crore will soon be launched, he said.

The NGF in Hubballi also needs to be preserved.

“We must not limit ourselves to an all-India perspective, but think at a global level. Our ambition is to transform KSDL into not just a national brand, but an international one,” he asserted.

The Kannada organisations had demanded that the government should take back the decision and cancel the agreement with Tamannaah Bhatia and select Kannada actress. They also demanded clarification over spending Rs 6.20 core over fees.

T.A. Narayana Gowda, State President, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike stated, the decision of Mysore Soaps and Detergents Limited to appoint Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia as its brand ambassador for a fee of Rs 6.2 crore is an irrational, irrelevant, unethical, and irresponsible one.

Mysore Soaps is a government-owned company of Karnataka, established in 1916 by the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wadiyar. It is one of the most popular brands in Karnataka, with Kannada-speaking people as its primary customers.

"Was there no basic awareness of this while making the appointment? Was it really necessary to appoint Tamannaah Bhatia, a Bollywood actress, as the brand ambassador of a company with such historical and cultural significance? The Karnataka government's decision to spend a massive amount of Rs 6.20 crore on this appointment is even more objectionable. We strongly oppose this decision.

"Mysore Soaps and Detergents Limited is a Karnataka government-owned company. The government's spending of Rs 6.20 crore to appoint Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador is completely unnecessary and irresponsible. This money could have been better spent on initiatives benefiting the people of Karnataka, such as education, healthcare, or employment generation. It is condemnable that the government has wasted public tax money in this manner.

"Karnataka has many talented and popular Kannada actresses. Appointing one of them as the brand ambassador would have not only connected more effectively with Kannada people but also encouraged local artists. But the Karnataka government and Mysore Soaps have ignored Kannada actresses and chosen a Bollywood celebrity, which hurts the sentiments of Kannadigas. A company that represents Karnataka's cultural identity should have given priority to local talent."

Gowda further said: "Tamannaah Bhatia has no direct connection with Karnataka's culture, language, or the history of Mysore Soaps. In such a situation, her appointment as brand ambassador is entirely inappropriate. Choosing a Hindi film industry actress amounts to imposing Hindi culture on Karnataka’s local identity, which the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike cannot accept. A historic brand like Mysore Soaps should appoint someone who truly represents Kannada identity."

Mysore Soaps and Detergents Limited is a part of Karnataka’s historical and cultural legacy. The company must make decisions that reflect and respect Kannada identity and local culture. The appointment of Tamannaah Bhatia is hurtful to the sentiments of the people of Karnataka, and if the decision is not withdrawn immediately, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike will organize strong protests. We urge the Karnataka government and Mysore Soaps to respect the sentiments of Kannadigas and give priority to local talent, he stated.

--IANS

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