Deepika Padukone Was Considered For Mysore Sandal Soap Endorsement Before Tamannaah Bhatia, Minister Says 'She Was Out Of Budget' Amid Row Over Appointment Of Non-Kannadiga

There has been a massive furore among locals in Karnataka over the appointment of non-Kannadiga Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador of the iconic Mysore Sandal Soap. The Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) has reportedly paid the Odela 2 actress ₹6.2 crore for two years and two days to become the face of the soap, which has a legacy of over a century.

Many have objected to Tamannaah's appointment as the brand ambassador of the locally sourced and produced product, given she is not from Karnataka. However, some argued that the Mysore Sandal Soap needs no advertising in Karnataka, given its legacy, and defended the actress' appointment as the brand ambassador of the product in a bid to make it known nationwide and overseas. Ministers of the state have echoed a similar sentiment.

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As the controversy snowballed, MB Patil, Karnataka’s Minister for Commerce & Industries, defended Tamannaah's appointment as the face of Mysore Sandal Soap. "KSDL has deepest respects and regards for Kannada Film Industry… Mysore sandal has a very good brand recall within Karnataka… However, the intent… is to also penetrate markets beyond Karnataka aggressively," he said.

Patil also shared that they wanted to rope in Deepika Padukone for the role, and the names of other actresses as the brand ambassador of Mysore Sandal Soap were also floated. He further shared that his department considered Rashmika Mandanna, Sreeleela, Pooja Hegde and Kiara Advani too. “All of them were busy endorsing other brands. Deepika Padukone was not available for our budget. Plus, she has her own brand," he shared.

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Meanwhile, the decision to appoint Tamannaah drew flak from certain sections of society. "When local Kannada young actresses like @AshikaRanganath could be taken as brand ambassador why appoint and promote Hindi ones?" a woman questioned the decision on 'X'. Another one asked, "I feel some kannadiga should promote it. Because they will be having that courage and pride to do it rather than outsiders (sic)." A comment read, "Need Kannadigas who understands Karnataka emotion & be a brand ambassador (sic)."