“Sincerest Apologies”: Zomato Withdraws Hrithik Roshan Ad Amid Backlash

In response to criticism over an advertising featuring Hrithik Roshan, meal delivery service Zomato clarified that the advertisement would be removed. The corporation issued an apology, saying that their intention was never to offend anyone’s beliefs or sentiments.

The declaration followed objections from the priests of the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, to an advertisement for an online food delivery service featuring Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan. In the advertisement, the actor claims that when he was in Ujjain, he was in the mood for a “thali,” or food platter, so he ordered one from “Mahakal.”

The priests asserted that the advertisement hurt Hindu sensibilities and demanded that the food aggregator remove it. They also stated that they had spoken with Ashish Singh, the chairman of the Mahakal temple trust in Ujjain, to request action against the business. The advertisement “mentioned ‘thalis’ at ‘Mahakal Restaurant,’ not the famed Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple,” according to the company’s statement.

The company stated that the video is a part of its pan-Indian promotion, for which it identified the best restaurants in each city and the best foods they provide.

The thali is a suggested item on the menu at Mahakal Restaurant, one of our high order volume restaurant partners in Ujjain, it was added.

Narottam Mishra, the home minister for Madhya Pradesh, claimed to have ordered the police to investigate into the situation. “The social media commercial video appears to have been altered at first glance. I’ve asked the superintendent of police in Ujjain to investigate the truth of the video and report back to me so that the guilty might be brought to justice.” As one of the 12 “Jyotirlingas” in the nation, the Mahakaleshwar or Mahakal temple honouring Lord Shiva is a significant landmark.

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