The Karnataka government has chosen Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia to be the brand ambassador of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), the company that makes Mysore Sandal Soap. According to an order from the government, she will be the brand ambassador for two years and two days. She will be paid Rs 6.2 crore for this.

Some people were not happy with this decision.They asked why a local Kannada actress, like Ashika Ranganath, wasn’t chosen instead of a Hindi film actress. In response, Karnataka’s Commerce and Industries Minister MB Patil said the decision was made after a lot of thought. He explained that the goal is to help the brand reach people outside Karnataka as well.

He also said that KSDL respects the Kannada film industry and knows that some Kannada films are even competing with Bollywood movies. Minister MB Patil explained that Mysore Sandal Soap is already very popular in Karnataka, and the aim is to make it more popular in other states as well. That’s why they chose Tamannaah Bhatia as the brand ambassador.

He said that Mysore Sandal is not only a pride of Karnataka but also a jewel of the nation. The decision was made by the company’s board after talking to marketing experts. Mr Patil also shared that choosing a brand ambassador takes careful thought. Many things are considered, like the person's availability, social media presence, how well they match the product and its audience, and whether they have any contracts with other brands.
He added that their goal is for KSDL to earn Rs 5,000 crore every year by 2028.