Nawazuddin Siddiqui, a popular Indian actor, has recently found himself in legal trouble over a commercial he appeared in for the international beverage brand Sprite.
Kolkata-based lawyer Dibyayan Banerji filed a petition against him in the Calcutta High Court for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Bengalis in the Bengali-dubbed version of the ad.
The ad features Siddiqui laughing at a joke that didn’t sit well with many Bengalis. The joke says, “Shoja anguley ghee na uthley, Bangali khali petey ghumiye porey,” which translates to Bengalis sleep hungry if they don’t get anything easily. The ad was based on the popular Bengali idiom, “Shoja anguley ghee na uthley, angul bekatey hoy,” which means that if you can’t achieve something easily, you have to work harder to achieve it.
The lawyer filed the petition claiming that he didn’t have any issue with the Hindi version of the ad, but the Bengali version was offensive to Bengalis. Siddiqui has yet to publicly respond to the complaint.
Following the backlash, the ad was removed from TV and social media platforms, and Sprite India issued an apology in Bengali.
The apology stated that the company deeply regretted the ad campaign and would withdraw it from Bengali media immediately. It also highlighted the company’s commitment to preserving the respect and heritage of the state through its service, new investments, CSR, and social consciousness.
— Sprite India (@sprite_india) April 19, 2023
Nawazuddin made headlines in January when ex-wife Aaliya claimed that she was being harassed at his home in Mumbai. She had returned with their children from Dubai and the actor’s mother had filed a complaint against her over a property dispute. The case has since been ongoing, with both parties levelling allegations against each other.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui files INR1 billion defamation suit against ex-wife, her brother
