Mallya slams Harbhajan spoof notice, says will not remove 'offensive' ad

Jul 19, 2011 |

Agencies

mumbai

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A day after Harbhajjan's mum filed a notice against UB group asking to take down an offensive ad, beer baron Vijay Mallya has stepped in to say - no!

"It was not meant to attack Harbhajan Singh personally. It was just a spoof between two brands. We have received a long-winded legal notice and our lawyers are studying it. There are several TV programmes that spoof our politicians. What will happen if all of them start sending legal notices?" Mallya was quoted as saying.

On Monday, July 18, a notice was sent to Vijay Mallya's UB Spirits over a commercial for McDowell's No. 1 Platinum featuring Dhoni. The notice claimed that the ad had insulted Harbhajan Singh and Sikhs around the world.

The notice was sent by Avtar Kaur, Bhajji's mother, to project that it's not about Bhajji vs Dhoni, but Bhajji's family vs UB Group.

Dhoni's ad, according to Mrs Kaur's reperesentatives, mocked Harbhajan's role in a commercial for rival Pernod Ricard's Royal Stag. McDowell's No. 1 Platinum and Royal Stag are competing whiskey brands. The ads have been masked as promotional material for soda as liquor advertising is banned in India.

The notice was issued to UB executive vice chairman SR Gupte, president & CFO Ravi Nedungadi, deputy president Harish Bhat and executive VP (Corporate Affairs) Nandini Verma. Bhajji's family want a compensation of Rs 1,00,000 towards the cost of the notice and immediate removal of ad and a public apology - to be carried by all of the leading newspapers.

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