Fans were not impressed when last year an advertisement featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn for tobacco brand Vimal surfaced. A section of social media users slammed the stars for promoting tobacco. Now, Mukesh Khanna, who is known for giving his straightforward opinions on issues related to Hindi film industry, lashed out in a new interview with Bollywood Bubble, where he reacted angrily over stars doing these advertisements for a huge amount. 

‘I have even scolded Akshay Kumar’

When asked whether he thinks that big stars should be more responsible before doing these types of advertisements, Mukesh said in Hindi, “If you ask me, I’d say, inko pakad ke maarna chaahiye (catch them and beat them up). I have told this to them. I have even scolded Akshay Kumar. He is such a health-conscious man otherwise, and he says ‘aadaab’, Ajay Devgn says ‘aadaab’, and now Shah Rukh Khan is doing the same. Crores of rupees are spent on making these ads. And what are you teaching the people? (They say) we are not selling pan-masala, they say its supari (beetle nut). But they know what they are doing.”

Kesariya jabaan?

He added, “When you do a Kingfisher ad, it means you are selling Kingfisher beer. Everybody knows it, it is called deceptive ad. Why do they do these ads? Do they not have money? I have told them this, don’t do these things, you have a lot of money. Some actors have retrieved it, Akshay is one of them. If I am not wrong, Amitabh Bachchan has also moved away from it. But, till this date, crores of rupees are spent on making these ads… people are spraying colour on each other, (and saying) Kesariya jabaan (saffron tongue)? You are teaching people to consume guthka!”

Mukesh went on to add that he was also approached for similar advertisements but he never said yes to them. He urged the stars to stop doing these, as the audience looks up to them and imitates them.

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