The controversies surrounding the ads seems to have no end. The Indian bike taxi aggregator Rapido’s new ad featuring Telugu actor Allu Arjun has landed in trouble with the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) Managing Director VC Sajjanar IPS sending legal notices asking the firm to immediately withdraw the ad, as it portrays TSRTC in a bad light and thereby defaming the organisation.
The ad that was released on YouTube shows Allu Arjun as a street-side Dosa vendor who is seen telling the customer by pointing to the crowded TSRTC bus that the TSRTC buses take more time to reach their destination, while commuting by Rapido bike is far more convenient and faster.
Sajjanar in a statement said that degrading the TSRTC will not be tolerated by the TSRTC management, employees, and commuters. Rapido tried to promote their product by depicting the competitor’s product in a bad light is not good business ethics. He said that the actors who are part of such advertisements should understand that the TSRTC has been serving the common man for decades, and is taking the people to places where no other modes of transport are available for the poor. The actors can influence public opinion and people listen to them.
Sajjanar has sent legal notices asking Rapido to withdraw the ad failing which the organisation would proceed with other legal actions. As per reports, the notices were also served to YouTube stating the advertisement’s defamatory nature.
The video has garnered over 1.2 million views in the last 5 days.
