Nawazuddin Siddiqui addresses Sprite ad controversy; says, “I see it as a good thing that the makers apologized” : Bollywood News

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui faced controversy after appearing in a Sprite advertisement, which led to a case being filed against him and the CEO of Coca-Cola’s Indian division for allegedly “hurting the sentiments” of the Bengali community. Later, Sprite India issued a statement apologising for “unintentionally hurting the community”. However, in a recent interview with Hindustan Times, Nawazuddin broke his silence over the matter and expressed his support for the community.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui addresses Sprite ad controversy; says, “I see it as a good thing that the makers apologized”

The actor acknowledged the community’s objections and stated that no person or community should be hurt. He further added that he respects all religions and communities and it was never his intention to hurt anyone’s sentiments. Nawazuddin asserted, “They apologised, right? What more can I say?”

He further added, “It’s good to ensure that no person or community should be hurt. That was dubbing. I had no dialogue. I see it as a good thing that the makers took it in a good way and apologised. The fact is no one should be hurt.”

For the unversed, the Bengali dubbing of a Sprite soft drink ad featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui caused controversy as it was accused of “hurting the sentiments” of the Bengali community. The ad promoted a new feature where buyers can scan a given QR code to listen to jokes, with the actor laughing at one of them. In the Bengali version, the joke about Bengalis preferring to sleep hungry if they don’t get anything easily was deemed offensive.

The controversy led to a case being filed against the actor and the CEO of Coca-Cola India, which owns Sprite. The brand issued an apology for “unintentionally causing offence”.

Speaking of the professional front, the 48-year-old actor will be next seen in Jogira Sara Ra Ra. Directed by Kushan Nandy, the film also stars Neha Sharma. It is slated to release on May 26, 2023.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Kubbra Sait talks about Sacred Games co-star Nawazuddin Siddiqui; says, “I used to go kiss him on the cheeks and say ‘chal na sex scene karte hai’”