Complaint filed against Akshay Kumar for allegedly mocking Maratha soldiers in new Nirma ad

A complaint has been filed against Akshay Kumar in Mumbai’s Worli police station for appearing in a Nirma advertisement which allegedly mocks the Maratha warriors, as per India Today. [caption id=“attachment_7881451” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Akshay Kumar in the new Nirma ad. Images from Twitter[/caption] The complaint has been filed by a pro-Maratha outfit, Sambhaji Brigade, who said the people of Maharashtra have been deeply hurt by the washing powder advertisement, reports The Hindu.  They have demanded an immediate broadcast ban on the ad. Furthermore, they have also threatened to start a statewide agitation in case the police fails to take action against the actor and Nirma Limited. They have also said Akshay needs to issue a public apology for the same or they will not allow his films to be screened in Maharashtra. In the ad, Akshay is seen playing a Maratha warrior who returns victorious from a battle. While flower petals are showered on him, his wife chides him for his dirty clothes. Akshay then declares that in his army, soldiers not only are well equipped to fight, they also know how to wash dirty clothes. Akshay and his army then wash all the soiled garments. The Hindu quotes Santosh Shinde, Sambhaji Brigade’s Pune district president as saying, “Have the sacrifices of king Shivaji’s valiant mavlas been reduced to the frivolous selling of a product used for washing clothes? Chhatrapati Shivaji’s soldiers sacrificed their lives and shed their blood to fulfill their dream of swarajya (Independence). This crass advert seems to imply that the Maratha soldiers only spent time washing their clothes after their battles.” The ad has also enraged a section of the netizens who have alleged it defames Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji, as #BoycottNirma trended on Twitter. Here are some of the reactions 

🚩 Maratha heroes have sacrificed their lives to establish Haindavi Swaraj.
Nirma mocks brave 'Maratha Warriors' to sell its Washing Powder😡#BoycottNirma pic.twitter.com/vSgJYxkldD

— NaveenChandra (@nkumartweets) January 8, 2020

Disrespecting our history and degrading our Great Maratha culture will not be tolerated at all.#BoycottNirma and Akshay Kumar should apologize publicly pic.twitter.com/DiHWwNJlPE

— Lakshmi (@LakshmiRaut1) January 8, 2020