Bollywood star apologises for appearing in chewing tobacco ad

Questioned by Internet users, actor Akshay Kumar announced that he was ending his business partnership with a manufacturer of gutka (traditional chewing tobacco).

After being heckled for several days on social media, Akshay Kumar announced on Twitter on April 21 that he was breaking his contract with Vimal, a gutka manufacturer.[1]In an advertising film that took up the codes of the action film, Akshay Kumar had joined two other Bollywood stars already recruited by Vimal, Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan.

Akshay Kumar's fans, however, were not happy that their idol was compromising with a tobacco producer, after he had argued that he would never give in to such proposals. Netizens produced several memes[2] on this topic and circulated the video where Kumar said: "I have received many offers from gutka companies for a comfortable amount, but I have rejected them. I will never promote anything harmful just for money"The denial of his own statements has offended many of the actor's admirers, shocked by this inconsistency between values and reality.

A mea culpa under pressure from Internet users

A few days later, Akshay Kumar announced the end of this business partnership and apologized to the fans he had upset. "I promise to be extremely careful in my future choices.", he said, specifying that the current advertising campaign would continue to be broadcast until the legal end of the contract. He also said that he would donate the money collected to charity.

Asked about his participation in this advertising campaign, Ajay Devgn considered that it was a "personal choice", and that "If some things are so bad, then they shouldn't be sold"[3]. This last argument is regularly used by tobacco manufacturers to justify that their products are marketed without hindrance and to present themselves as an industry among others. Civil society actors believe, on the contrary, that a rigorous evaluation of tobacco products and the practices of tobacco manufacturers should lead to their demarketing, without however calling for a prohibition.[4]

The health cost of oral tobacco

The influence of cinema on social behavior and the use of product and behavioral placements by the tobacco industry have already been well documented.[5]. This influence can reach heights in India, where film actors are sometimes idolized and venerated as living gods. True role models for their fans, these actors must remain irreproachable and faithful to their image.

Superstar Amitabh Bachchan, a historic icon of Indian cinema, had faced a similar problem in October 2021; following an open letter from an oncologist and under popular pressure, he too had terminated the commercial contract that bound him to a manufacturer of pan masala (another type of chewing tobacco), while donating his profits to a charity.[6].

Oral tobacco products have traditionally been widely used in India, with an estimated 200 million users, and smoked tobacco products being less socially regarded. Oral tobacco use accounts for a high proportion of oral cancers in the country, with an estimated 77,000 new cases and 55,000 deaths per year.[7].

Keywords: India, chewing tobacco, gutka, cinema

©Generation Without Tobacco

MF

[1] Akshay Kumar apologizes to fans after pan masala brand backlash, steps back as ambassador: 'Your reaction has deeply affected me...', The Indian Express, published April 21, 2021, accessed April 22, 2022.

[2] “Memes” are diversions of images or films, published on the Internet to comment on a subject.

[3] Sudha N, INTERVIEW: Ajay Devgn On Runway 34, Pan India Movies And Brand Endorsement Controversy, FilmiBeat, modified April 22, 2022, accessed April 22, 2022.

[4] This is not prohibited, Action on Smoking and Health, accessed April 25, 2022.

[5] Indian cinema continues to glorify smoking, Generation Without Tobacco, published on January 15, 2021, consulted on April 22, 2022.

[6] Bollywood star breaks endorsement deal with tobacco company, Generation Without Tobacco, published October 13, 2021, consulted April 22, 2022.

[7] Borse, V., Konwar, AN, & Buragohain, P. (2020). Oral cancer diagnosis and perspectives in India. Sensors international, 1, 100046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sintl.2020.100046