Minister M.B. Patil defends Tamannaah Bhatia's selection as Mysore Sandal Soap brand ambassador

Bengaluru

Minister M.B. Patil has once again defended the decision to select actress Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador for Mysore Sandal Soap, stating it is a strategic business move to boost marketing for the iconic brand.1

Speaking at the Vidhana Soudha, Patil clarified, "This is a business. We will do whatever is necessary for business. We had approached 4-5 other actresses, but none of them agreed, which is why we finalized Tamannaah." This statement comes in response to earlier criticisms, including from Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, who suggested that local actresses could have been chosen.

Patil further explained the rationale behind the choice, stating, "Our soap only has an 18% market share in Karnataka, but it's higher in other states. That's why we selected Tamannaah." He also revealed ambitious plans for the brand's future, adding, "We have a plan to go international in the future. For that, it becomes necessary to have a Bollywood actress as the brand ambassador." This justification aligns with earlier statements made by Minister Priyank Kharge, who also supported Tamannaah's selection, citing a target of achieving ₹1,000 crore in profit.