ITC Foods on Thursday clarified that its advertisement for its “Bingo!” snack, featuring actor Ranveer Singh, did not intend to mock any Bollywood celebrity. The company’s clarification came hours after some people on social media criticised the advertisement for allegedly alluding to deceased actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s interests.
Rajpur was found dead in his Bandra home on June 14, in what the police initially said appeared to be a case of suicide.
In the advertisement, Ranveer Singh plays the role of a man who is repeatedly asked what his future plans are. To this, he responds by speaking about algorithms, paradoxical photons, and aliens. The ad makes no reference to Rajput.
However, some people on social media, allegedly fans of Rajput, hit out at the company for releasing the advertisement as they claimed that it alluded to the deceased actor’s interests in science, especially the outer space.
While ITC Foods did not delete the advertisement, it released a statement saying the allegations were “completely false, erroneous and mischievous”. The company said that the ad was shot in October last year and released now due to a delay in launching the product.
“Such kind of erroneous messages are likely knowingly spreading falsehoods,” the company said. “We request to not fall prey to such mischievous posts. The recent Bingo! advertisements was shot more than a year ago in October 2019. It is being aired this year because of delay in the launch of Bingo! Mad Angels Cheese Nachos and Bingo! Mad Angles Pizza due to Covid-19 pandemic.”
Here are a few reactions to the advertisement:
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!