Protests outside Shah Rukh Khan’s residence took an unexpected turn ahead of the global release of “Jawan” on September 7. The Untouched India Foundation, the organizing body behind the demonstrations, voiced their grievances against Khan’s recent association with the online gaming platform A23 Games. Khan had featured prominently in a promotional campaign for the platform, encouraging people to “Chalo Saath Khelein” (Let’s Play Together).
The foundation’s president, Krishchandra Adal, underscored their concerns during the protests. He raised an alarm regarding the potential impact on the younger generation, asserting that big Bollywood stars endorsing online gaming platforms might be misleading youth. Adal pointed out that if individuals engaged in similar activities outside, they would likely face legal consequences, yet celebrities promoting these platforms sent a conflicting message.
Furthermore, Adal shed light on the motivations behind such endorsements. He acknowledged that Bollywood stars, despite being aware of the ethical implications, often endorsed these platforms for financial gain. He emphasized that fans contributed to the fame of these stars by watching their movies and spending their hard-earned money, making the situation all the more perplexing, as mentioned in DNA.
In response to these concerns, the Untouched India Foundation demanded an immediate halt to advertisements promoting online gaming apps. They argued that these apps were often elusive, difficult to find on popular search engines like Google, and were typically hosted on private websites, adding to the complexity of the situation.
Mumbai Police intervened to manage the protests outside Shah Rukh Khan’s Bandstand residence in Juhu. Reports indicated that 4-5 individuals were detained in connection with the demonstrations. This unexpected turn of events cast a shadow on the release of Khan’s highly anticipated film, “Jawan,” as the controversy surrounding celebrity endorsements of online gaming platforms garnered public attention.
