Actor Akshay Kumar has apologised to his fans for endorsing a tobacco firm ad also featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn. His apology came days after netizens slammed the actor for his hypocrisy.
Akshay was widely criticised for hypocrisy since he had taken a public stand in the past for never endorsing a tobacco product. Soon after the video of Akshay joining Shah Rukh and Ajay in the Vimal ad surfaced, netizens shared an old video of Akshay taking a bold stand against ;promoting tobacco products.
Days later, Akshay took to Twitter to issue a public apology, which read, “I am sorry. I would like to apologise to you, all my fans and well-wishers. Your reaction over the past few days has deeply affected me. While I have not and will not endorse tobacco, I respect the outpouring of your feelings in light of my association with Vimal Elaichi. With all humility, I step back.”
Akshay said that he will be donating the earnings from the ad to a charity. He added, “I have decided to contribute the entire endorsement fee towards a worthy cause. The brand might continue airing the ads till the legal duration of the contract that is binding upon me, but I promise to be extremely mindful in making my future choices. In return, I shall forever continue to ask for your love and wishes.”
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 20, 2022
Ajay Devgn was the original brand ambassador of Vimal chewing tobacco produced by Manikchand Group. The company had later roped in Shah Rukh before having Akshay on board.
