Amitabh Bachchan and daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda recently featured in a new Kalyan Jewellers ad and won hearts over by depicting a loving father-daughter bond. The TVC, which marked Shweta's acting debut, featured Big B as an old man wanting to return the extra pension he has got in his account but is given a rude runaround by bank employees.
Clearly, the advertisement did not go well with the bank union. Apart from terming the ad as 'disgusting', they accused it of creating 'distrust' in the banking system by maligning its image. Now after facing criticism, the leading jewellery chain on Sunday decided to withdrew the one-and-a-half minute-long ad.
After the ad was pulled down, the makers also released a statement, which read as, "We sincerely regret the inadvertent hurt caused and withdraw the advertisement from all media with immediate effect. We understand that the advertisement has hurt sentiments of some people including members of our esteemed banking community."
"Any such hurtful interpretation being drawn is unintended. We state that the creative advertisement was a work of fiction and not a reflection of banking employees at large. Along with crores of Indians, we acknowledge the valuable contribution of the banking community to our country." it added.
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For the unversed, the All India Bank Officers' Confederation threatened Kalyan Jewellers for "hurting the sentiments of millions of personnel" for "pure commercial gain". However, the jewellery chain dismissed the allegation and called the ad as a work of "pure fiction." But this did not deter the AIBOC members, who said if the ad is not withdrawn, they will initiate "organisational action, including dharnas and litigation"
Big B has not yet commented on the entire controversy.