Tendulkar, Dhoni, Sehwag, Kohli, Yuvraj Feature in Controversial ‘Death’ Ad
Indian cricket stars, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh are at the centre of a controversy after consenting to feature in a morbid advertisement campaign promoting Sahara India’s Q Shop.
In the ad, each of the stars appears to foretell death in a symbolic way. For instance, in the offending commercial, Sachin is seen performing the last rites at a funeral; Yuvi is shown digging a grave; the Nawab of Najafgarh adds an intravenous tube to a hospital bed; Dhoni and Kohli are similarly ominous in their deportment and actions.
The ad is purportedly aimed at discouraging ingestion of adulterated food by portraying what will happen to somebody who fails to heed the warning. Sahara India who commissioned the ad claim that their Q shops will offer adulteration free products and the storyboard of the commercial is aimed at underscoring that message.
The BCCI has been inundated with complaints from people who have objected to the Indian cricket stars featuring in the morbid ad.
In popular internet forums, many have condemned the cricketers concerned, in no uncertain terms. One such critic who calls himself Suresh Menon has said: “These cheap Indian celebs are like ‘show me the money and I will do anything. The supposed-to-be national icon Sachin and the other cricketers pawned their brains it seems, before acting in this ad. Especially Yuvi’s part was very sickening. Sachin needs to be striped of his RS membership if he does not apologize publicly. The other cricketers also owe an apology with full refund of their fees for this f**king ad.”
Another person who styles himself as Kamal B has said: “Sachin already proved no. of times but his blind fanz dont wan to understand the fact.This greedy person can sell his gift. He can claim that he is an actor and not cricketer to fool IT dept. He can ask govt for free land.”
Yet another critic going by the name of Siddhartha Srivastava went one step further to say:“I never expected Sachin to stoop so low. Money is a great motivator – performing last rites of a school going boy. Bottom line – money money and money nothing else. So much for the loyal Indian.
I have suggestion to Sachin – you can make even more money just replace that boy with your own son. Infact, being your son he will get much better money than that poor school going boy. Will he perform last rites of his son for money? I am not too sure but guess is he will not i.e. if he is a normal human being. so question is if he will not perform last rites of his son for money why would he perform last rites for son of any one else for money. Shame to the parents of that poor boy as well who agreed to see last rites of their son for money.
I wonder if he can perform last rites of an innocent boy for money what he must be doing in cricket field for money. Anybody’s guess.”
For the benefit of our visitors, here’s a video of the offending ad to help you judge for yourself whether the commercial is as offensive as it is claimed to be:
Category: Hot Controversy
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Jinxatious is the Chief Editor of SportingAttitude.com
An avid writer, on an eclectic range of subjects, he brings to bear editorial experience garnered with a national newspaper in South-East Asia. He also has sportscasting experience, as a cricket commentator, and his passion for sport extends beyond Cricket, to Football, Tennis, and Olympic Sports.
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very well said VS. rather than concentrating on the message of the advert people are commenting on the personal life of the cricketers and their earnings. I am very proud of the cricketers in this AD for conveying a very strong message, very forcefully.
Madarchode he ye mayove cricketers
yuvi is actually very funny because he has just recovered from cancer..kya hain yaar!!
Our cricketers have stooped to a very low level. I would not hv imagined this from sachin, kohli. come on guys!! kitna paisa kamaoge!!