Hardik Pandya loses brand endorsement after sexist remarks on Koffee With Karan; KL Rahul’s sponsorships hang in balance

Under fire due to sexist comments made on a talk show, cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have more worries in the coming days. Brands that were linked to the two star cricketers are now mulling over the future of their association with Pandya and Rahul post the controversial episode aired on TV and digital platform.

Pandya has already lost a sponsor in the form of Gillete Mach 3 Start, according to a  report  on The Times of India. “Hardik Pandya’s recent comments do not reflect the values of Gillette. We have suspended our association with Hardik until we decide on further course of action, " told the company spokesperson to the newspaper.

Pandya is not the first Indian celebrity to lose out on big sponsorships due to a statement or comment which became controversial among the masses. In 2015, actor Aamir Khan lost his endorsements after he made a comment on the growing intolerance in the country. The comment did not go too down well with a portion of the mass and the star actor lost some big deals in the aftermath.

Pandya endorses seven brands while Rahul is associated with Puma and a fitness start-up. After the duo faced the ire, Hotstar, the digital platform which aired the talk show, pulled down  the episode.

Both Pandya and Rahul have been suspended till further inquiry by BCCI. The cricketers are not taking part in the ongoing India-Australia ODI series and are set to miss the upcoming tour of New Zealand which involves 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is.