The appointment of actor Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador of products manufactured by the State-owned Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Ltd. (KSDL), which includes the iconic Mysore Sandal Soap, has triggered a row, with Kannada activists questioning the rationale behind picking a non-Kannada speaking actor for the role.
Members of the Yuva Karnataka Vedike staged a protest at the KSDL’s Yeshwanthpur factory here Friday (May 23, 2025), denouncing the government’s “anti-Kannada” decision.
They questioned the need to select the multilingual actor offering her a deal worth crores of rupees, when the iconic Mysore Sandal brand had “made a profit of ₹400 crore without any celebrity names attached to it so far.” Protesters demanded that the deal be cancelled.
The actor has been signed as the brand ambassador for a period of two years, for which she will be paid ₹6.2 crore.
The Mysore Sandal soap is among the iconic products from the stables of Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Limited.
| Photo Credit:
Sudhakara Jain
Minister responds
Responding to the objections raised by acitivists and netizens on social media, Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil told mediapersons that when it came to business, competitiveness was a critical factor.
He described the appointment of the actor for the role as a thoughtful and research-backed decision. “Before siging Tamannaah, we approached Karnataka-born actors such as Deepika Padukone and Rashmika Mandanna. We also approached Srileela, Pooja Hegde, and Kiara Advani,” he added.
However, as Deepika Padukone is now an entrepreneur herself, she was busy promoting her own products, and hence couldn’t come on board. The rest had already signed up as ambassadors for other cosmetic brands, creams and soaps, and they could not take up other commitments for the next two years, he said.
“Thus, Tamannaah Bhatia, who has 28 million followers on social media platforms, was brought in based on her pan-India influence and charisma,” he added.
Comprehensive overhaul
The Minister explained the brand’s decision to use a multi-pronged strategy “to achieve our ambitious ₹5,000 crore turnover target by 2028”.
Actor Tamannaah Bhatia is popular for her performances across all South Indian languge films as well as in the Hindi film industry. KSDL, a househols name in South India, is hoping to penetrate the North Indian market.
| Photo Credit:
Sudhakara Jain
Speaking of a comprehensive and strategic overhaul of the brand, Mr. Patil hinted that Tamannaah Bhatia’s appointment was part of the intent “to also penetrate markets beyond Karnataka aggressively”.
He added that the focus was to elevate Mysore Sandal brand from being the pride of Karnataka to becoming a true jewel of India.
Mr. Patil also said that KSDL’s production had increased by 40%, and the company had grown by 15% in the FMCG sector, surpassing some big brands.
“We have set a target to take KSDL’s turnover to ₹5,000 crore in the next three years. If that happens, we might have to consider appointing even a Hollywood actor as brand ambassador. I hope that situation arises,” he said.
Mysuru MP objects
Meanwhile, Mysuru MP and the scion of the erstwhile royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar termed the appointment “deeply irresponsible and insensitive”.
He said the appointment of a non-Kannada actress as the face of the historical brand for a reported pay of over ₹6 crore, was “unacceptable”, displaying “a serious lapse in cultural sensitivity and accountability”.
Published – May 23, 2025 01:07 pm IST