Popular Karachi restaurant under fire for using painful 'Gangu Bai' scene for marketing
Karachi, Jun 18: A popular restaurant here in Pakistan's biggest city has come under fire after it used a popular scene from Alia Bhatt's "Gangu Bai" movie to promote a men's day at the eatery.
The restaurant, Swings, on Friday faced ire at social media for using a scene from the movie, based on the real life story of a sex worker who fought for the rights of women from her own community, where the actress who is forced into prostitution after being left at Kamathipura, tries to hauntingly attract her first customer.
Her clip and dialogues "Aja na Raja - what are you waiting for?" have been used to attract customers for a men's day special at the restaurant.
The restaurant's post read: "Swings is calling out all the Raja's out there. Ajao and avail a 25 per cent discount on Men's Monday at Swings!
Facing massive criticism on social media and by its customers, the owners of the restaurant came out with a half-hearted apology which only fired up more criticism.
People were appalled at the restaurant which had used as a marketing strategy an edited clip from the Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie as a promotional gimmick on its social media pages.
The social media was flooded with criticism of the promotional gimmick with content creator Daniyal Sheikh in a Facebook post writing: "What is this? It's promoting sexual abuse of women and literally making fun of women who are forced to be a prostitute. Try to be responsible.
"If you guys think that this is some sort of marketing strategy and this will gain you some attention and customers then you're sadly mistaken! Using a clip from a movie based on prostitution just shows how low and shallow you can get just for publicity, another user wrote.
Another user wrote that they didn't expect such an advertisement from the restaurant and that they were "extremely disappointed" with the marketing gimmick.
The restaurant on Friday night issued a clarification to calm down the social media users and only landed itself into more trouble.
Just a concept. We didn't mean to hurt the sentiments of anyone. The movie and this post is based on a concept. Like before, we're open to all and will be serving you with the same love like we always have," the owner clarified, drawing more ire with many calling out "Swings" for a terrible marketing team and a tone-deaf statement.
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Swings, a restaurant in Karachi, thought it appropriate to use this painful scene from @aliaa08’s Gangu Bai for a men’s day promotion. Their apology is as tone-deaf as the campaign glorifying sexual abuse and women who are forced into prostitution. pic.twitter.com/XY2cyl1yKD
— Niha Dagia (@nhd00) June 18, 2022
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
