Controversy Erupts After Tamannaah Bhatia Named Mysore Sandal Soap Brand Ambassador. Here's Why

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Last Updated:May 22, 2025, 19:32 IST

The Karnataka authorities named Tamannaah Bhatia arsenic the marque ambassador for Mysore Sandal Soap, sparking disapproval from Kannada activists. She volition gain Rs 6.2 crores implicit 2 years.

Tamannaah Bhatia volition beryllium paid an magnitude of Rs 6.2 crore for the same. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

The Karnataka authorities has named Bollywood histrion Tamannaah Bhatia arsenic the marque ambassador for world-famous Mysore Sandal Soap. This determination by the authorities authorities has led to a contention with Kannada activists and netizens asking wherefore a Kannada histrion wasn’t chosen for the same.

Apart from the Mysore Sandal Soap, Bhatia volition besides beryllium the ambassador of each different products from the Karnataka state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) for a play of 2 years. The Bollywood histrion volition beryllium paid an magnitude of Rs 6.2 crore for the same.

KSDL Managing Director Prashanth PKM confirmed the deal, saying the institution volition soon motorboat products with Bhatia arsenic the look of their marque promotions.

Responding to the contention implicit utilizing a non-Kannadiga arsenic their marque ambassador, Dr Prashanth told News18, “As portion of the maturation of the brand, it is indispensable that we usage marque ambassadors who person entreaty some globally and crossed India. That is however we unfastened doors crossed the satellite for our Mysore Sandal Soap."

“We person signed Tamannaah Bhatia arsenic our committee recovered her to beryllium the champion lucifer for our pan-India push. We needed a marque ambassador with pan-India appeal, and her illustration fits our imaginativeness aft overmuch consideration," helium said.

“90 percent of the employees of KSDL are from Karnataka. Whatever nett comes from the merchantability of the products is for the radical of Karnataka. We person ever stood for the extortion and safeguarding of our land, our language, culture, and tradition," helium said.

“We needed a look with nationalist scope and planetary visibility," the MD said.

As the determination has drawn disapproval from netizens and Pro-Kannada outfits, galore questioned wherefore home-grown talents similar Deepika Padukone oregon immoderate histrion from Karnataka wasn’t chosen arsenic the marque ambassador for a section brand.

“We were incapable to motion Rashmika Mandanna, Deepika Padukone oregon Pooja Hegde, who are besides Kannadigas, arsenic they were already person a declaration with different brands. We had to guarantee we reached consumers crossed India with a fashionable look to boost sales," a elder KSDL authoritative told News18.

Explaining the decision, officials said that portion KSDL records yearly income of implicit Rs 1,800 crore, lone 12% of that comes from Karnataka. The remainder is from crossed the country, making a pan-India beingness crucial.

Pro-Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike’s main T Narayanagowda has slammed the authorities for the decision, stating that naming a non-Kannadiga histrion arsenic an ambassador for a section marque was an insult, further demanding that the wealth paid beryllium alternatively utilized for the payment of the people.

Taking to ‘X’, Narayanagowda has threatened beardown protests if the authorities didn’t cancel the bid to sanction Tamannaah arsenic the marque ambassador immediately.

Meanwhile, authorities industries curate MB Patil has defended the determination connected ‘X’, clarifying that that the intent of KSDL was to besides aggressively penetrate markets beyond Karnataka, adding that the brand’s callback successful Karnataka would inactive beryllium strengthened.

Minister HK Patil has besides echoed a akin sentiment, saying that the determination was astir apt kept successful caput to pull the marketplace extracurricular of Karnataka.

Mysore Sandal Soap A 107-Year-Old Product

Mysore sandal soap is simply a 107 twelvemonth aged merchandise present sold nether the KSDL. The officials said they acceptable a caller grounds of nett and handed implicit a dividend cheque of Rs 108.62 crore to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah successful 2024. The magnitude accounted for 30 per cent of KSDL’s Rs 362.07 crore nett for the fiscal twelvemonth 2023–24, marking the highest dividend payout successful the company’s history. An further Rs 5 crore cheque was besides fixed towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

It presently offers 48 antithetic products, including soaps, detergents, cosmetics, and incense sticks. In the fiscal twelvemonth 2023–24, the institution recorded a income turnover of Rs 1,570 crore .

With flagship products similar Mysore Sandal Soap disposable connected large e-commerce platforms, KSDL believes that bringing Bhatia connected committee volition elevate the brand’s entreaty and beingness crossed India.

Such is the brand’s iconic presumption that Indian-origin personage cook Vikas Khanna erstwhile talented Mysore Sandal Soap to Hollywood prima Anne Hathaway arsenic portion of a curated enactment of Indian presents, including a handcrafted marble container from Agra and the publication Kiss successful Kashmir by Monica Saigal. The motion went viral with the the brand’s authoritative X (formerly Twitter) grip thanking the cook for his “thoughtful motion of presenting the iconic Mysore Sandal Soap to histrion Anne Hathaway."

However, the Mysore Sandal marque has not been without controversy. A large ineligible conflict erupted erstwhile KSDL signed up cricketer MS Dhoni arsenic marque ambassador successful 2006.

Dhoni, past India’s cricket captain, was dragged to tribunal by KSDL for allegedly not fulfilling the presumption of his endorsement contract. The institution claimed that Dhoni “failed to springiness capable clip to the institution to endorse its marque of Mysore Sandal Soaps."

The deal, valued astatine Rs 84.85 lakh, was struck betwixt KSDL and Dhoni’s absorption agency, Kolkata-based Gameplan Sports Private Ltd. Dhoni was expected to perpetrate 10 days implicit 2 years (five days a year), but the institution alleged that helium was disposable for lone 3 days. A 60-second TV commercialized was filmed during that time.

In December 2007, KSDL terminated the declaration and issued a ineligible announcement demanding Rs 40 lakh successful damages. The substance went to arbitration, wherever KSDL’s request for Rs 6.5 crore arsenic damages was besides rejected.

The ineligible lawsuit dragged connected for 5 years, and successful 2012, the tribunal ruled successful favour of Dhoni, stating that KSDL had failed to beryllium that it had incurred fiscal losses owed to the terminated contract.

Despite this checkered history, KSDL is present betting large connected Tamannaah Bhatia to boost its marque representation and nationalist scope — hoping her wide entreaty volition marque Mysore Sandal a household sanction acold beyond Karnataka.

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News india Controversy Erupts After Tamannaah Bhatia Named Mysore Sandal Soap Brand Ambassador. Here's Why