On February 12, Kotak Mahindra Bank’s digital banking handle Kotak811 withdrew the campaign featuring controversial former AIB comedian Tanmay Bhat after it received a backlash on social media. In a tweet, Kotak811 said, “We at Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. do not support or endorse the views of actors made in their personal capacity that harm or offend any individual or group. We have withdrawn the campaign.” The ad campaign also featured comedian Samay Raina.
We, at Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. do not support or endorse the views of actors made in their personal capacity that harm or offend any individual or group. We have withdrawn the campaign.
— Kotak 811 (@kotak811) February 12, 2023
Kotak811 launched the campaign on January 30. Considering Tanmay’s controversial history, the netizens did not take the idea of taking him for the drive. Kotak811 and Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Chairman and Managing Director, Udit Kotak, were called out on social media for using him for the campaign.
Ironically, in the ad, Samay was seen holding a placard saying “No offensive Jokes Tanmay Bhai” with a cancel sign on “No”.
Actress Kangana Ranaut, who recently got back on Twitter after her account got reinstated, condemned the choice and spoke about the problem of child porn. She said, “Problem with most right-wing ideologists is that they perceive leftists’ choices as their mistakes, please understand Tanmay has been chosen as a brand match for precisely what you are objecting to, child porn is a huge industry, what democrats doing in USA leftists all across.”
Problem with most right wing ideologists is that they perceive leftists choices as their mistakes,please understand Tanmay has been chosen as a brand match for precisely what you are objecting to,child porn is a huge industry,what democrats doing in USA leftists all across (cont) https://t.co/ocZGhX8BIG
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) February 12, 2023
She added, “Entire world’s leftists will reflect that, most brands have made it evident what they stand for, latest Balenciaga child porn campaign and shocking rise in child mastectomy in the USA is every right winger’s hell, the question is not what are they doing, the question is what are we doing? Child porn was one of the primary reasons why @elonmusk took over Twitter, this is how right-wingers need to make things happen even at the cost of their own personal/financial good/profit, we need strategies /actions if the system doesn’t support us we need to make it happen individually.”
Child porn was one of the primary reasons why @elonmusk took over twitter, this is how right wingers need to make things happen even at the cost of their own personal/financial good/profit,we need strategies /actions,if system don’t support we need to make it happen individually.
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) February 12, 2023
Cyber Safety Expert and founder of Akancha Against Harassment Akancha Srivastava said, “@udaykotak Sir @KotakBankLtd seriously, you couldn’t find anyone else for your brand endorsement except him?? Are we to understand that he reflects your brand values? He’s been accused of sexual harassment by so many women. Definitely expected better from you.”
.@udaykotak Sir @KotakBankLtd seriously, you couldn’t find anyone else for your brand endorsement except him?? Are we to understand that he reflects your brand values? He’s been accused of sexual harassment by so many women.
— Akancha Srivastava (@AkanchaS) February 11, 2023
Definitely expected better from you 🤢 pic.twitter.com/3ihJRD4KPI
Twitter user Monica Verma said, “Hi @KotakBankLtd @udaykotak I am a customer of your bank but the fact that you have hired a Hinduphobic, woman and child abuser Tanmay Bhat for a campaign is making me consider closing my account. Discontinue the association with him and apologise?”
Hi @KotakBankLtd @udaykotak
— Monica Verma (@TrulyMonica) February 12, 2023
I am a customer of your bank but the fact that you have hired a hinduphobic, woman and child abuser Tanmay Bhat for a campaign is making me consider closing my account. Discontinue the association with him and apologise? pic.twitter.com/W57pdic4jf
Author Shefali Vaidya said, “Seriously, how can you hire this creepy sociopath and possibly, a closet paedophile Tanmay Bhatt @udaykotak? Is this what you want your bank’s image to be?”
Seriously, how can you hire this creepy sociopath and possibly, a closet pedophile Tanmay Bhatt @udaykotak? Is this what you want your bank’s image to be? @KotakBankLtd @kotak811 @udaykotak pic.twitter.com/Wvp6zhBGLY
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) February 10, 2023
The controversy around Tanmay Bhat and AIB
Bhat, who was a founding member of the controversial comedian group All India Bakchod (AIB), has been in the limelight for the wrong reasons on several occasions. Tanmay Bhat has a history of making derogatory and problematic tweets. He not only insulted legendary singer Late Lata Mangeshkar at one point but also made casual jokes about child sexual exploitation.
His group AIB was infamous for making controversial jokes, and it was closed down after one of its members was accused of sexual harassment. Notably, the other members, including Bhat, were aware of the accusations before they were made public, but they decided not to act strictly upon them.
In a tweet in May 2012, he asked a Twitter user, “How do you know children don’t love rape?”
In another tweet, he said, “Feel really weird every time I see naked baby pics of girls. In my head, I go, “Ha ha! I saw your boobs! Ha ha!”
People missed Samay’s joke on abortion
Amid the controversy around Tanmay, it appears people have completely forgotten about the controversial tweet Samay made about abortion, which is still live on the social media platform.
“I tweeted a joke about my girlfriend a day before yesterday after thinking for 30 minutes. She did not like it and made me delete it. Tomorrow, if I ask her to get an abortion, then she should not say my body is my choice,” he wrote.
