On World Environment Day this week, food aggregator Zomato issued a controversial Ad that has been described as tone-deaf. It makes a reference to the character Kachra from Aamir Khan's Hindi-language movie 'Lagaan' (2001). Kachra is a slur and not a name. In the Ad, Kachra refers to waste. A slur has been normalized by the Zomato Ad, much to the shock of many.
Following social media backlash, the company withdrew the Ad by tendering apologies. "Our intent was to spread awareness about the potential of plastic waste and the benefits of recycling in a humorous way. Unintentionally, we may have hurt the sentiments of certain communities and individuals. We have taken down the video," the company said.
Columnist and anti-caste activist Dilip Mandal welcomed Zomato's decision to pull down the Ad. "You need to sack your creative head and the entire team. To prevent such occurrences in the future, it's essential to ensure social and gender diversity. Consider adopting a model similar to the US affirmative action," he added.
