Big B Terminates Contract With Pan Masala And Returns The Money

Bollywood Megastar Amitabh Bachchan celebrated his 79th birthday yesterday on Oct 11 and on the occasion, the actor announced that he has terminated his contract with a pan masala brand. He said that he was not aware that it ‘falls under surrogate advertising’.

A statement issued on behalf of Amitabh Bachchan read: “‘Kamala Pasand’… a few days after the commercial was aired , Mr Bachchan contacted the brand and stepped out of it last week. “Upon checking why this sudden move – it was revealed that when Mr Bachchan became associated with the brand, he wasn’t aware that it falls under surrogate advertising.”

“Mr Bachchan has terminated the contract with the Brand, has written to them his termination and has returned the money received for the promotion,” the statement from Big B’s office further read. The move comes after Big B had been requested by a national anti-tobacco organisation to withdraw himself from the campaign, citing the addiction among the youth to tobacco.

Last month in September, Amitabh Bachchan was questioned by a fan on Facebook about his association with pan masala brands. The man asked why he had to endorse pan masala as this sends a wrong message to society. “Why do you feature in ads for Kamala Pasand Pan Masala? Then what is the difference between you and these sellouts?” a fan asked.

Big B replied “Sir, I am apologetic, if someone is doing good in any business, then we should not think about why we are collaborating with them. If there is a business then we also have to think about our business in it. I also get money. Such petty words neither suit you nor do they adorn other artists of the industry”.The cine icon had then replied: “If some people are getting benefits from an industry, we should not think as to ‘why am I getting associated with it?’ If it is an industry, then we too should think of it as our industry. Now, you may think that I should not be doing it, but I get paid for it.”