Zomato took down the ad featuring Lagaan’s Kachra after it was slammed by the internet. They issued a statement following the incident.
On World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5, food delivery platform Zomato launched an advertisement campaign which caused quite a furore on social media. The ad, which was meant to highlight the problems that the planet faces due to plastic waste and raise awareness on the same, backfired and it was then taken down days later. So, why did the video irked the internet?
The ad featured actor, Aditya Lakhia, who played ‘Kachra’ in the 2001 movie ‘Lagaan’. Social media users slammed it because the ad drew a comparison between the two – ‘kachra’ (waste or garbage in Hindi) and the marginalised, paraplegic character from the Aamir Khan film.
The ad campaign showed how Zomato is voluntarily incorporating ways to help the environment. To refer to garbage, they used Lakhia’s character from the film to represent it. While Zomato said they had absolutely good intentions while making this ad, it seems to have left a section of the internet rather upset.
From a recycled hand towel to a flower pot, the ad showed Lakhia in different settings representing plastic waste or ‘kachra’.
Now, if you remember watching Lagaan, you will know how Lakhia’s character in the film was belittled for his caste (he played a Dalit) to the extent that players from Bhuvan’s team (Aaamir) did not want him to be included in playing eleven.
Instead of people resonating with the campaign, people slammed the food delivery platform for its tone-deaf treatment of the subject.
Masaan director Neeraj Ghaywan, in a strongly worded tweet, wrote, “#Kachra from #Lagaan was one of the most dehumanised voiceless depictions of Dalits ever in cinema. @zomato has used the same character and made a repulsive #casteist commercial. A human stool? Are you serious? Extremely insensitive!”
https://twitter.com/ghaywan/status/1666664962767593472?s=20