‘Milind Soman should have…’: Bureaucrat on Puma ad showing actor running on railway tracks | Trending
An Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer, Ananth Rupanagudi, shared his disagreement with the Puma ad featuring actor Milind Soman. The advertisement shows Milind Soman jogging on a railway track, which the officer says is “treated as trespassing”. He also tagged the brand and urged them to put a disclaimer on the advertisement. Puma ad featuring Milind Soman has caused quite a stir on social media. (Screengrab) “I have a problem with this ad, Puma. Railway tracks aren’t meant for jogging, and it’s treated as trespassing. Milind Soman – you should have verified this before shooting this ad,” wrote Rupanagudi on X. He added, “Puma, please put a disclaimer on this ad.” Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Watch the video here: The video was shared on May 5. It has since then garnered over 11,000 views. Additionally, the video has received a flurry of likes and comments. Here’s what social media users have to say:“Deserted track or is it the artificial track created for advertisement,” posted an individual. To this, Rupanagudi replied, “I believe it’s the railway track in the Borivali National Park. But running on the track of Indian Railways is fundamentally wrong. The messaging of the ad is not correct.” Another added, “You can’t expect Milind Soman to verify this as he is the ‘model’. If at all, the agency who created this ad and perhaps the manufacturer – Puma – are responsible.” To this, the Rupanagudi said, “Well, there’s something called common sense. Maybe it’s not so common.” “This ad was definitely shot at Borivali National Park. Several familiar buildings are visible. The railway line is, of course, the tiny NG line in the park,” said a third. Rupanagudi replied, “It’s not about where it is shot but the messaging in the ad. It would convey that it’s okay to jog and run on the tracks, which isn’t correct. Just like one of the ads that glorified alarm chain pulling.”