CHENNAI: The Karnataka government’s decision to appoint actor Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), maker of the iconic Mysore Sandal Soap, has once again sparked controversy in the State.
The row first erupted in May last year when Tamannaah, a Mumbai-based actor with Sindhi-Punjabi roots who works across Telugu, Tamil and Hindi cinema, was signed for a reported Rs 6.2 crore. Her endorsement contract has now formally come into effect, with the actor fronting the company’s latest campaign.
At a recent event in Bengaluru, Tamannaah unveiled 57 KSDL products, including Mysore Sandal Soap in new packaging, and featured in a series of advertisements released by the company.
The appointment has once again drawn criticism from the BJP and pro-Kannada groups, who argued that a Kannada film personality should have represented a brand closely associated with Karnataka’s identity. BJP MP K Sudhakar accused the Congress of having an “anti-Kannada mindset”, calling the move an affront to local talent and regional pride. Several social media users also questioned the choice.
The Karnataka government, however, had defended the decision last year, stating that the selection was based on marketing assessments, Tamannaah’s pan-India appeal and strong digital reach rather than linguistic or regional considerations.
Local actors considered but unavailable, says Minister Patil
Meanwhile, State Large and Medium Industries Minister MB Patil told reporters on Tuesday that six months ago, he had clarified why Tamannaah Bhatia was chosen. “A committee went through five-six names, including two-three from Karnataka, but they had endorsed other products. If you endorse some other product, you cannot be a brand ambassador for this product.”
He added that only eight to 12 per cent of Mysore Sandal sales were in Karnataka, compared with “18 per cent in Telangana and other States, eight per cent in north India and one per cent internationally”, stressing that “it is purely a business decision taken by the KSDL’s committee.”
Patil also said actors such as Rashmika Mandanna, Sreeleela and Pooja Hegde were considered but were already committed to other brands, while Deepika Padukone was “not available for our budget” and has her own brand.
Tamannaah, he said, has 2.8 crore social media followers and agreed to a two-year lock-in period.
The renewed debate comes as KSDL embarks on an expansion drive, aiming to scale up operations and reach an annual turnover of Rs 5,000 crore by 2030 through stronger digital marketing, export growth and product innovation.