Mahakal thali ad: Zomato apologises after priests claim Hrithik Roshan`s ad offends Hindus, mocks Ujjain temple `prasad`

Gurgaon-based food delivery company Zomato released a statement after an uproar over its latest ad featuring Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan.

NEW DELHI: Amidst backlash over its latest advertisement featuring Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan, the popular food delivery company Zomato on Sunday (August 21) issued a clarification for reportedly hurting the sentiments of Hindus and mocking the renowned Mahakal temple. In the latest Zomato's ad, Hrithik is heard saying, "Thaali khane ka mann kiya, Ujjain mein, toh Mahakaal se manga liya (Wanted to have a food platter in Ujjain, so I ordered it from Mahakaal)".

The Gurgaon-based company said that the 'Mahakal' thali advertisement was part of its pan-India campaign in which top local restaurants in each city and their top dishes based on popularity were identified. Mahakal restaurant is one of our high-order-volume restaurant partners in Ujjain and thali is a recommended item on its menu, it added. "We deeply respect the sentiments of the people of Ujjain, and the ad in question is no longer running. We offer our sincerest apologies, for the intent here was never to hurt anyone's beliefs and sentiments," the statement read.

Hrithik Roshan and Zomato faced major backlash on Twitter after the 'controversial' ad surfaced on the internet. 

According to PTI, two priests of the Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh have objected to Zomato's latest advertisement featuring Hrithik and demanded that the company withdraw the ad as it hurts the sentiments of Hindus. The priests said they had also approached Ujjain Collector Ashish Singh, who is the chairman of the Mahakal temple trust, and sought action against the company so that no one mocks the Hindu religion again.

Reacting to the controversy, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said he has directed the 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."

Collector Singh on Saturday termed the advertisement as 'misleading', saying the temple offers free meals as 'prasad' and it is not sold.

The Mahakaleshwar or Mahakal temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is one of the 12 'Jyotirlingas' in the country and attracts a large number of devotees.