Zomato, the popular food delivery platform, has received a notice from the National Commission for Scheduled Castes regarding the representation of a Dalit character in one of its advertising campaigns. In Zomato’s advertisement for World Environment Day, actor Aditya Lakhia, known for his portrayal of the character ‘Kachra’ in the 2001 movie ‘Lagaan’, was featured. The advertisement establishes a connection between the character Kachra and the Hindi word for garbage, ‘kachra’. It was broadcasted on June 5, coinciding with World Environment Day.
Following widespread criticism on social media, the company decided to remove the video, acknowledging that it had “unintentionally” caused harm to certain communities.
“Unintentionally, we may have hurt the sentiments of certain communities and individuals. We have taken down the video,” the company said.
In response to the incident, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes has expressed its intention to conduct an investigation into the matter. Additionally, they have issued a notice to Deepinder Goyal, the Founder of Zomato.
“In case the commission does not receive reply from you within stipulated time, the commission may issue summons for your appearance in person,” the notice to Zomato founder read.
The advertisement, which runs for nearly two minutes, features actor Aditya Lakhia portraying various objects such as a lamp, paper, paperweight, watering can, and different types of jackets. The accompanying text highlights the quantity of recycled ‘kachra’ (garbage) used in the production of each item.
In the movie ‘Lagaan’, the character Kachra is portrayed as disabled and marginalized by his fellow villagers until he is chosen to join the team. Eventually, he plays a crucial role in leading his team to an unexpected triumph.
The inclusion of the character in the ad campaign aimed to raise awareness about food waste and shed light on the challenges experienced by marginalized communities in society.
Contrary to resonating with the audience, the campaign received significant backlash on social media, with users criticizing it as being tone-deaf.
The food delivery company has previously faced marketing missteps, finding itself on the unfavorable side of public perception.
In 2017, the company launched an outdoor advertising campaign in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, which depicted Hindi expletives “MC, BC” as abbreviations for mac n’ cheese and butter chicken. This campaign sparked controversy and drew criticism from the public.
In 2022, Zomato decided to remove an advertisement that featured actor Hrithik Roshan, where he was depicted as having a strong desire for a traditional Indian food platter, known as a “thali,” in Ujjain. The ad suggested that he ordered the thali from the famous religious site “Mahakal.”
Following objections from the priests of the renowned Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh, the advertisement faced allegations of offending Hindu sentiments, prompting demands for its withdrawal. In response, the Madhya Pradesh Home Minister, Narottam Mishra, instructed the police to investigate the controversy.
Afterwards, the company issued an apology, clarifying that the reference to “Mahakal” was intended for a restaurant and not in relation to the temple.
