Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched a new campaign featuring Tanmay Bhat, a former member of the AIB (All India Bakchod) group. The bank acknowledges Tanmay’s past controversies in the advertisement and suggests that their new digital product will help him make better use of his time.
However, the public has expressed strong outrage at this advertisement and has been emailing the bank and its CEO, Uday Kotak, asking them to reconsider their choice of spokesperson.
Tanmay Bhat is a self-proclaimed comedian who was part of the popular AIB group, which disbanded in 2018. AIB was known for making controversial comedy skits on their YouTube channel. In recent years, Tanmay has become infamous for his controversies and legal issues. The public is shocked that a reputed bank like Kotak Mahindra would hire a controversial figure like Tanmay to promote their product.
Since the disbandment of AIB, Tanmay has struggled to revive his comedy career. He has been relying on his PR to grow his presence on YouTube through collaborations with other streamers. The public has been pointing out old tweets from Tanmay that contain Hinduphobic content and glorification of rape, which Tanmay considers to be comedy.
It remains to be seen how this advertisement will affect Kotak Mahindra Bank, as public sentiment is strong and may result in a backlash against the bank.
