Amitabh Bachchan steps down as face of paan masala brand
Mumbai, Oct 11: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has withdrawn from an advertising campaign of a paan masala brand and said he has returned the money he received for promoting it.
The 79-year-old actor had faced backlash for featuring in an advertisement of a paan masala brand. Several fans of the screen icon had expressed their displeasure over the actor's decision.
A blog post, addressed by "the office of Mr Amitabh Bachchan", on Sunday night informed that he is no longer associated with the promotions.
"A few days after the commercial was aired, Mr Bachchan contacted the brand and stepped out of it last week. Upon checking why this sudden move - it was revealed that when Mr Bachchan became associated with the brand, he wasn't aware that it falls under surrogate advertising.
"Mr Bachchan has terminated the contract with the brand, has written to them his termination and has returned the money received for the promotion," the post read.
Last month, the National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), an NGO, had also appealed to Bachchan to not be part of advertisements that promote paan masala brands.
In an open letter, NOTE president Dr Shekhar Salkar had said that the actor should withdraw from "surrogate" paan masala advertisements and support the cause of the anti-tobacco movement.
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Karnataka Bal Vikas Academy confers Honourary Award on Shaheen Group of Institutions
Six others honoured across various categories
Dharwad: The Karnataka Bal Vikas Academy (KBVA) has conferred its prestigious Academy Honorary Award on the Bidar-based Shaheen Group of Institutions, alongside six other distinguished awardees for the year 2023–24.
The Academy, headquartered in Dharwad, functions under the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Karnataka.
Sangamesh A. Babaleshwar, President of the KBVA, announced the recipients of the academy’s prestigious “Academy Honourary Award” for the year 2023–24 at a press conference held in Dharwad on Thursday.
The honours recognise outstanding contributions in the fields of children’s literature, education, theatre, culture, and social service.
The Shaheen Group of Institutions was selected for its notable contribution to children’s education and social service.
The institution has been widely recognised for its sustained efforts in providing quality education and educational opportunities to children from diverse and underserved backgrounds.
The other recipients of the Academy Honourary Award for 2023–24 are
1. Pandit Ramakrishna Shastri, Dakshina Kannada, for contributions to children’s literature
2. B. Go. Ramesh from Mysuru for contributions to children’s literature
3. Aruna Narendra from Koppal for contributions to children’s literature
4. Malatesh Badiger, Bengaluru, for contributions to children’s theatre
5. Pratap R. Bahuroopi, Hubballi, for contributions in education and fine arts
6. Nagasimha G. Rao, Bengaluru, for contributions to literature and culture
The award ceremony will be held on 16 December 2025 at Suvarna Soudha, Belagavi, where the awardees will be formally honoured in the presence of Cabinet Ministers, officials, and other dignitaries.
