Tamannaah Chosen as Mysore Sandal Ambassador After Kannada Stars Unavailable: Minister MB Patil

Bengaluru, ; – Karnataka Industries Minister M.B. Patil clarified the state's decision to appoint actress Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador for the iconic Mysore Sandal Soap, following backlash from Kannada organizations questioning the choice of a non-Kannada actor.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Patil stated that a committee was formed to select the ambassador and that several Kannada-origin actresses were approached first. “We reached out to Rashmika Mandanna, but she had already signed another endorsement. We also contacted Sreeleela, Pooja Hegde, and Kiara Advani, but none were available due to prior commitments. Deepika Padukone was not approached as her fee was beyond our budget,” he explained.

Due to these scheduling and financial constraints, Tamannaah was finalized. “She will be locked in as brand ambassador for two years. There was no intent to insult Kannada identity. This is purely a business decision in a highly competitive market,” Patil said.

He emphasized the company’s plans to expand globally, noting ambitions to break into Gulf and European markets. “We currently produce 23 products and are entering the perfume segment. Our goal is to scale this into a ₹5,000 crore business. In the future, we may even consider international ambassadors,” he added.

Assuring that Kannada culture and artists are deeply respected, Patil urged people not to misunderstand the decision and reiterated the government's commitment to promoting local talent wherever feasible.