Zomato apologises and withdraws Mahakal Ki Thali ad with Hrithik Roshan

Food delivery company Zomato issued an apology after backlash over an advertisement, starring Hrithik Roshan. They withdrew their advertisement on ‘Mahakal ki Thali’ after priests of Ujjain Mahakaleshwar temple objected to the content. The ad sees Hrithik saying, “I have made up my mind for a plate. If you are in Ujjain, you have asked for it from Mahakal.”
Following this ad, Mahakaleshwar temple priest Mahesh said that ad offended Hindu sentiments. “Mahakaal is god whom we worship. Mahakaal is not a servant and doesn’t deliver food. The company has made misleading publicity about the Mahakal temple in its advertisement. Hindu society is tolerant, it is never violent. Had there been another community, he would have set such a company on fire,” they had said. The Hindu Jagrati Manch also urged people to boycott Zomato.

Zomato released a statement of apology which read, “The video is part of its pan-India campaign for which we identified top local restaurants and their top dishes based on popularity in each city.” The company also emphasised that the ad “referenced ‘thalis’ at ‘Mahakal Restaurant’, and not the Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple.”

Hey, we have something to share – pic.twitter.com/gmPgiGYwGp
— zomato care (@zomatocare) August 21, 2022
The statement further read, “We wholeheartedly respect the sentiments of the people of Ujjain. This ad has been disabled. It was not our intention to hurt anyone’s sentiments and we sincerely apologise for the same.”
On the other hand, Madhya Pradesh Home Miner Narottam Mishra said he had requested police to look into the matter. “Prima facie, the advertisement video being circulated on social media seems morphed. I have told Ujjain’s Superintendent of Police to look into the reality of the video and report to me so that action can be initiated against the guilty.”