As Tamannaah Bhatia's Mysore Sandal 'Soap Opera' Bubbles Up, Minister Cites 'Global Goals' | Exclusive

Advertisement

Last Updated:May 23, 2025, 17:50 IST

Karnataka industries curate MB Patil told CNN-News18 that the determination was a purely 'business strategy' aimed astatine expanding KSDL's scope beyond the state

Tamannaah Bhatia was yet chosen owed to her extended instrumentality base, a origin deemed important for KSDL's ambitious maturation targets. (File photo/X)

The Karnataka government’s determination to name histrion Tamannaah Bhatia arsenic the marque ambassador for Mysore Sandal Soap and different Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL) products has ignited a heated debate. The two-year, Rs 6.2 crore woody has drawn crisp disapproval from netizens and pro-Kannada organisations, who question wherefore a section talent, specified arsenic Deepika Padukone, oregon different Kannada actor, was not chosen for the iconic authorities brand.

Industries curate MB Patil, speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, defended the determination arsenic a purely “business strategy" aimed astatine expanding KSDL’s scope beyond Karnataka. Patil emphasised that the determination was not intended arsenic a “disrespect to Kannada actresses oregon Kannada radical oregon organisations".

“KSDL was filled with controversies, corruption, and scandal. The president of KSDL was down bars," Patil stated, highlighting the company’s turnaround nether his leadership, with profits soaring from Rs 180 crore to Rs 400 crore and wide gross expanding from Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 1,700 crore.

Patil revealed that the assignment of Tamannaah Bhatia was portion of a “prolonged strategy" to instrumentality Mysore Sandal Soap “pan-India". He explained that 82% of the soap’s income presently travel from extracurricular Karnataka, underscoring the brand’s nationalist appeal.

The curate clarified that different salient actresses similar Pooja Hegde, Rashmika Mandanna, and Deepika Padukone were considered but were unavailable for the two-year duration. Tamannaah Bhatia was yet chosen owed to her extended instrumentality base, a origin deemed important for KSDL’s ambitious maturation targets.

Patil cited KSDL’s singular 17% maturation successful the FMCG sector, surpassing giants similar HUL and Wipro, with a people of Rs 5,000 crore. He unveiled KSDL’s plans for planetary expansion, including caller planetary packaging, introduction into the Gulf and European markets, and the instauration of caller products similar an planetary jasmine sandal soap, catering to circumstantial marketplace preferences.

Furthermore, Patil announced KSDL’s foray into the perfume market, with a squad having visited Kannauj, India’s perfume capital. “We are going global, and time you’ll again inquire maine this question, and we’ll person a Hollywood histrion here," Patil quipped, reiterating the government’s imaginativeness to alteration KSDL into a globally recognised brand.

Location :

First Published:

News movies As Tamannaah Bhatia's Mysore Sandal 'Soap Opera' Bubbles Up, Minister Cites 'Global Goals' | Exclusive