Mysuru Sandal Soap relaunch: KSDL goes ahead with Tamannaah after Kannada identity row

New Delhi: Actor Tamannaah Bhatia will begin her two-year tenure as brand ambassador of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) on February 10, as the state-run company relaunches its heritage product Mysuru Sandal Soap with a refreshed, contemporary look, Karnataka’s Industries Minister M B Patil said.

The relaunch and the formal start of Bhatia’s on-ground association come months after the appointment drew backlash in Karnataka over Kannada identity, with pro-Kannada groups questioning the choice of a non-Kannadiga celebrity to front a legacy state brand. 

BestMediaInfo.com had reported earlier that activists protested outside the KSDL factory in Yeshwanthpur and framed the endorsement as a language and regional pride issue, even as the government defended it as a business call aimed at scaling the brand beyond the state.

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.

Bhatia was appointed as KSDL’s brand ambassador in May last year. The appointment was for two years and two days, and the decision attracted criticism from sections of the public, following which Patil defended the choice as a move to penetrate markets beyond Karnataka. 

Mysore Sandal Soap was originally launched in 1916 as a symbol of Swadeshi pride, combining indigenous resources with regional identity.

In his latest statement, Patil said KSDL aims to scale up its annual turnover to Rs 5,000 crore by 2030 as part of a wider expansion push. KSDL has been stepping up measures to strengthen branding in North India and overseas, as it seeks to widen its footprint beyond its traditional strongholds.

Patil said Bhatia will feature in advertisements, promotional campaigns and related programmes for KSDL products during her tenure, and will not endorse similar products from other private companies in the period.

The minister also pointed to KSDL’s wider portfolio, noting that the organisation manufactures dozens of products beyond Mysuru Sandal Soap, and is sharpening its promotional thrust to attract younger consumers.