Zomato, the food delivery brand, recently got into trouble after their new Kachra ad campaign which has now sparked controversy across the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The campaign’s tagline, Don’t waste food, Don’t\u2019 be Kachra, was displayed alongside a series of advertisements presenting left-over food in an effort to promote cleanliness and decrease food waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The campaign, which was\u00a0released on June 5 on the occasion of World Environment Day, aimed to increase awareness of the burden that plastic waste has on the environment and to highlight how many kilograms of waste is used to produce even the most basic items. For example, a paperweight requires 3-4 kg of recycled waste, while hand towels require 9-12 kg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Zomato advertisement showed how the company chooses to deliver food without using any plastic, therefore protecting the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A comparison between Kachra (trash) and the outcast character in the film Lagaan, which was released in 2001, was made by Zomato. The advertisement also featured the actor, Aditya Lakhiya, who played the character of Kachra in the film Lagaan. Given the larger backdrop of commercial entertainment in India, some users said, Kachra’s character in Lagaan had a contextual meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The actor was presented in a variety of contexts, including as a recycled hand towel, a similar flower pot and paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the campaign failed to connect with the audience and received criticism for its insensitive approach and was referred to as a casteist idea on various social media platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Users have now flooded the internet with their criticism, expressing their dissatisfaction towards the ad. Twitter is filled with #BoycottZomato. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/d2r2ijn7njrktv.cloudfront.net\/apnlive\/uploads\/2023\/06\/08132845\/FyFWRGYacAEU3Vj-1024x579.jpg\")
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