North vs South: Tamannaah Bhatia’s appointment as model ambassador of Mysore Sandal Soap faces flak; ‘no Kannada actor?’-OxBig News Network

According to the state authorities’s official order, Tamannaah Bhatia will maintain the ambassador function for 2 years and two days, for which she will likely be paid ₹6.2 crore. While the transfer is geared toward revitalising the model’s picture and increasing its market attain, it has drawn sharp criticism from varied quarters.

Opposition from Kannada teams and public

According to the Hindu, Members of the Yuva Karnataka Vedike staged a protest exterior KSDL’s Yeshwantpur manufacturing unit in Bengaluru on May 23. The group condemned the appointment, calling it an “anti-Kannada” determination by the federal government. Protesters questioned the rationale behind choosing Tamannaah, a multi-lingual actress, and allocating a hefty quantity of crores for her endorsement. They argued that Mysore Sandal Soap had already generated income exceeding ₹400 crore with out counting on movie star endorsements. The protesters demanded that the federal government cancel the deal, emphasising the model’s deep-rooted legacy in Karnataka’s tradition and identification.

Additionally, the choice has additionally sparked sharp criticism from the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), which slammed the appointment as “irrational, irrelevant, unethical, and irresponsible.” The Vedike stated in a press release, “There are many talented and popular Kannada actresses who could have done justice to the role while also connecting emotionally with the people of Karnataka. Instead, the government has chosen a Bollywood face, sending out a wrong message and appearing to endorse Hindi cultural dominance over Karnataka’s local ethos.”

The public sentiment on social media mirrored this discontent. One consumer commented on X, “This soap has a legacy and decades of loyal customers. I don’t understand what Tamanna brings to the table or how much she’ll actually improve the business — she’s not a household name across Karnataka forget India.” Another requested, “Mysuru sandal soap is pride of Karnataka. Doesn’t the Kannada industry have good actresses?” Yet one other remarked, “Nandhini milk sells outside #Karnataka without a popular face.. We don’t need celebrities to sell our 100-year-old legacy authentic #MysoreSandalSoap.”

State authorities’s response

In response to the backlash, Minister for Commerce & Industries M.B. Patil addressed the considerations raised by activists and netizens. While reiterating his deepest respect and regard for the Kannada language, identification and movie business, the minister emphasised that enterprise competitiveness was a key issue behind the appointment. Describing the transfer as considerate and research-backed, Mr. Patil defined that the model is implementing a multi-pronged technique to realize an bold turnover goal of ₹5,000 crore by 2028.

In a publish on X, the minister wrote: “We believe that what you sow is what you reap. That’s why we are sowing excellence — in products, people, processes, and partnerships… The appointment of #TamannaahBhatia as brand ambassador is a well-researched move — given her pan-India appeal, strong digital presence, and resonance with youth.”

He additional elaborated that the choice of a model ambassador considers a number of elements, together with availability (particularly if an actor has a non-compete settlement), social media attain, alignment with the model and product, target market, and total advertising and marketing effectiveness. Patil hinted that Tamannaah’s appointment is a part of a broader technique to aggressively develop Mysore Sandal Soap’s market presence past Karnataka, signalling a complete and strategic overhaul for the model.

It is noteworthy that Tamannaah has primarily constructed her profession in South Indian cinema and is well-known throughout that area. She started her appearing journey with the Hindi movie Chand Sa Roshan Chehra (2005) earlier than making her Telugu debut with Sree (2005) and Tamil debut with Kedi (2006). Over the years, she has delivered a number of notable performances in Telugu movies and in Tamil cinema. Given her pan-India presence, what do you concentrate on her appointment because the face of Mysore Sandal Soap?