Tamannaah’s Mysore Sandal deal turns slippery amid Kannada identity row

New Delhi: What should have been a moment of celebration for an iconic Karnataka brand has instead been overshadowed by a controversy that refuses to wash away.

When the Karnataka government appointed actress Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador for Mysore Sandal Soap, it aimed to give the legacy product a modern, global facelift. But within days, that ambition was met with street protests, slogans, and a familiar faultline — language and regional identity.

Pro-Kannada activists gathered outside the KSDL factory in Yeshwanthpur on Friday, accusing the state of sidelining Kannada pride in favour of Bollywood-style branding. Their grievance? That a non-Kannadiga celebrity had been chosen to represent a homegrown cultural symbol.

But the government insists the move is purely strategic. Minister M B Patil, who oversees Commerce and Industries, stood firmly by the decision. “This is not about Kannada or non-Kannada. This is trade. This is business. This is about taking a Karnataka brand global,” he said, referring to KSDL’s Rs 6.2 crore contract with the actress for a two-year-and-two-day term.

Patil detailed how the decision was made by a committee of experts after assessing several candidates, including Rashmika Mandanna, Pooja Hegde, and Deepika Padukone, all of whom were either unavailable or associated with competing brands.

“We considered non-compete clauses, social media presence, and global appeal. Tamannaah fit the bill,” he added, noting the goal is to take Mysore Sandal to Western and Gulf markets with updated packaging and international campaigns.

But in a state where the scent of sandalwood is inseparable from the soul of Karnataka, this marketing calculus hasn’t settled well with everyone.

“Would people in Tamil Nadu accept a Kannada actor promoting filter coffee? Or a Marathi actor as the face of Kolhapuri chappals?” asked a protester. Activist Roopesh Rajanna declared, “We will not allow any Hindi actor to endorse Mysore Sandal Soap. This is a Kannada product, and it must stay that way.”

The irony is hard to miss. Mysore Sandal Soap was originally launched in 1916 as a symbol of Swadeshi pride, combining indigenous resources with regional identity. A century later, its global dreams are being stalled by the very question of who gets to represent a legacy.

Meanwhile, KSDL’s business metrics tell a different story. According to Patil, turnover has jumped from Rs 1,375 crore in 2022–23 to Rs 1,788 crore in 2024–25, with net profits expected to cross Rs 415 crore this fiscal. A new factory in Vijayapura is underway, and an ex-HUL executive now advises the brand’s transformation strategy.

“People don’t buy soap because of Tamannaah,” Rajanna scoffed. “They buy it because it’s Mysore Sandal. Because it’s ours.”

And yet, one wonders — can a brand scale global heights without ever stepping outside local lines? Or does clinging to cultural boundaries risk keeping legacy brands locked in time?