Bengaluru, 23 May

Karnataka Minister MB Patil on Friday defended the government’s decision to appoint actress Tamannaah Bhatia as brand ambassador of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited, as pro-Kannada activists protested outside the KSDL factory in Yeshwanthpur, opposing the move.

The Karnataka government had appointed Bhatia as the brand ambassador of KSDL, which manufactures the famed Mysore Sandal Soap, on Tuesday. The two-year-and-two-day contract will cost the state exchequer Rs 6.2 crore.

Patil, who holds the Commerce and Industries portfolio, said the move was part of efforts to position KSDL products as a global brand.

"We have created an international brand. We will sell it across the world with new packaging tailored to international markets, aiming to reach the Western world and the Gulf region. As part of this long-term strategy, we have engaged Tamannaah Bhatia," the Minister told reporters.

He said the decision was taken through a committee headed by experts.

Patil added that other actresses were also considered, but many were already endorsing competing products.

"Rashmika Mandanna is associated with other products. Pooja Hegde and Kiara Advani have also endorsed various brands. Even Deepika Padukone has endorsed some products, including her brand, I believe," Patil said.

He noted that the selection of a brand ambassador involves several considerations, including availability, non-compete clauses, social media presence, alignment with the brand’s identity, and marketing reach.

"This is part of business—it has nothing to do with Kannada. It’s trade. We are in business. This is not just about Karnataka; we have to take the brand global," he added.

Patil also highlighted that the production of KSDL products has increased by 110 per cent with the existing machinery and staff.

"We plugged all loopholes and malpractices, and streamlined operations. We started building the brand," he said.

He further noted that KSDL’s turnover rose from Rs 1,375 crore in 2022–23 to Rs 1,571 crore in 2023–24 and Rs 1,788 crore in 2024–25.

The net profit, which was around Rs 182 crore in 2022–23, increased to Rs 362 crore in 2023–24 and is expected to reach Rs 415 crore in 2024–25.

"We have a long-term strategy to increase sales to Rs 5,000 crore. A new factory in Vijayapura is being established. We’ve also brought in an officer from Hindustan Unilever, Rajnikant, who worked there for 18 years and is now advising us. We have rolled out 23 new projects," Patil said.

"Do people buy soap because of Tamannaah? They buy it if they need it. This is a Karnataka product. We know that Puneeth Rajkumar endorsed Nandini Milk—and we’ve all seen how far the brand reached after that. We will not allow any Hindi actor to endorse Mysore Sandal Soap," said Kannada activist Roopesh Rajanna, speaking during the protest.