When Shah Rukh Khan hit back at interviewer targeting him for endorsing soft drinks, “If it’s poisoning our people, do not…”

Shah Rukh Khan is popularly called the King/Baadshah of Bollywood. He is also the King of Romance, Interestingly, he is also the King of Brand Endorsements.

Shah Rukh Khan has been synonymous several things over the years. Perhaps on top of that list is romance. Then, there are things like his trademark wit and friendships, among others. But, Khan for a long time has also been synonymous with brands and endorsements. Be it tech giants, FMCG products, fashion labels, or financial services, SRK has endorsed everything. His charismatic presence and global appeal make him one of the most sought-after brand ambassadors in India. Be it Byju’s online learning platform or Hyundai, the luxury car brand, Shah Rukh Khan’s endorsements have never failed to build brand images and connect with audiences of different demographics.

It is hardly any wonder then that King Khan also came to be known as the King of Brand Endorsements. One of the products Shah Rukh Khan has been associated with at various points is soft drinks. His stardom and appeal has been used to promote popular beverages, making them even more appealing to consumers. However, this endorsement has not been without controversy. Critics argue that promoting sugary drinks, especially to impressionable audiences, contributes to unhealthy lifestyle choices. More recently, his endorsing a pan masala brand attracted even more criticism.

Shah Rukh Khan was questioned about endorsements

While Shah Rukh Khan has generally been subjected to severe criticism for promoting products that are believed to be unhealthy and even other products such as fairness creams, he was once questioned directly about the issue by journalist, Karan Thapar during an interview for CNN IBN. During the interview, the subject of smoking came up too and Khan had a very interesting take on the subject.

What did Khan say about endorsing sugary drinks?

Explaining his stand on the issue, he said “I would appeal to any authority like that. Ban it. Don’t let it sell in our country. If you think it’s bad for children, ban it. Smoking is bad – don’t let production of cigarettes go on in this country. If you think cold drinks are bad, do not let them. If it’s poisoning our people, do not let it be made in India. See, my logic is, you are not stopping it because it gives you a revenue. Let’s be honest about it.

You’re not stopping certain products if you think they’re harmful, but they’re revenue to the government. Don’t stop my revenue. I’m an actor. I’m supposed to do a job and get revenue from it. And very clearly, I mean, if you think something is wrong, stop it. There’s no problem.” Also talking about smoking scenes in films, he said, “The whole larger issue is that today smoking, tomorrow what?

And where does it go ahead with this? An art form should be left alone. And I truly believe, that the Indian masses are literate enough to know that there’s no more Humphrey Bogart kind of smoking, no more that you will start smoking because an actor does. And it’s a very, very small health issue. I think the powers that be should look at bigger health issues than smoking in films.” Well, these are more complex issues than they may seem on the surface and a debate is certainly welcome.