Ramya questions ‘non-Kannadiga’ Tamannaah Bhatia's appointment as Mysore Sandal Soap ambassador: ‘So out of touch’

Ever since Tamannaah Bhatia has been roped in as the brand ambassador of Mysore Sandal Soap, there has been a lot of backlash.

The appointment of Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador for the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL)-backed Mysore Sandal Soap has not gone down well. Actor Ramya, aka Divya Spandana, questioned the timing of making a ‘non-Kannadiga’ brand ambassador at a time when Karnataka was fighting for ‘Kannada pride’. (Also Read: Tamannaah Bhatia's ₹6.2 crore deal as brand ambassador of Mysore Sandal Soap gets backlash; Karnataka minister defends)

Ramya questionned the appointment of Tamannaah Bhatia as the ambassador at a time when Karnataka was fighting for 'Kannada pride'.

Ramya questions Tamannaah Bhatia’s Mysore Sandal Soap deal

Ramya shared her opinion about Tamannah getting appointed the brand ambassador on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, writing, “Appreciate the intent to revive KSDL but the execution seems like an eyewash. Even from a business point of view especially when the company is dwindling imho Mysore sandal soap is iconic and carries huge legacy it doesn’t need a brand ambassador (Amul, Apple, Dove, Amazon).”

She then added that with the move they have ‘alienated’ Kannadigas, writing, “By taking a non-kannadiga as a brand ambassador to target the consumer market in the north they have alienated its own people, its core loyal consumer base- the kannadiga. It fails us especially at a time when we’re fighting to retain our Kannada pride.”

Ramya also pointed out the obsession with fair skin after Tamannaah’s appointment, “Women have fought for centuries from voting rights to unrealistic beauty standards on runways to skincare to equal pay - and here we’re still being told fair skin is aspirational. Mysore sandal soap’s strength lies in its relatability - Clearly the ones involved are so out of touch.”

She also posted a screengrab of an opinion piece she wrote for TOI, in which she highlighted, “The outrage isn’t against Tamannaah – she’s merely a celebrity doing her job. It’s about us. It’s about a state-owned enterprise ignoring the profound, organic connection it already has with its people.”

The controversy explained

News broke last week that Tamannaah secured a ₹6.2 crore contract with the Karnataka government to serve as the brand ambassador for Mysore Sandal Soap for two years. The move was met with massive backlash, with many questioning why a Kannada star wasn’t roped in for the role. MB Patil, Minister for Commerce & Industries, Infrastructure GoK, defended the decision and stated that the decision to rope her in was taken to penetrate the markets beyond Karnataka.