Hansal Mehta condemns a ‘disgusting’ ad starring Rishabh Pant and demands that it be removed: ‘But pimp yourself…’

Hansal Mehta has blasted a Dream 11 advertisement featuring cricketer Rishabh Pant. He says the advertisement offends a classical art form.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta is dissatisfied with a new Dream 11 advertisement starring batsman Rishabh Pant. In the commercial, Rishabh is depicted trying his hand at classical singing while making a joke about the art form. It is ‘disgusting and rude,’ according to Hansal.
This is a repulsive and rude advertisement. Make yourself seem good, but not at the expense of mocking art and its rich traditions. “I demand that @Dream11 remove this,” Hansal remarked in a tweet. The advertisement depicts Rishabh Pant pondering what he would have done if he had not become a cricketer. It then presents a fictitious situation in which Rishabh is a classical vocalist. He, on the other hand, assumes the wicket keeper’s posture in front of the microphones and sings horribly.
Writer Munish Bharadwaj responded to Hansal, saying that while the commercial was offensive, it did not deserve removal. “It’s in poor taste.” Sure. Agreed. But why bring it down? Freedom of expression, in my opinion, should be absolute as long as it does not incite violence or do injury to anyone. Also, although art and its rich traditions will last forever, foolish advertisements like these will be forgotten in seconds,” he remarked. “Sure Munish,” Hansal said.
You have every right to believe that. I’m offended, and I have the right to be. The same FoS.” “And yeah, perhaps asking for it to be taken down is too much to expect,” he continued. It’s a message to advertisers to be attentive and respectful, especially of one institution that, like sports, transcends race/religion/borders and is one of the biggest unifiers. Do not make fun of it.”
Munish concurred. “Yes. That is unarguable. But we can all agree that this is in really bad taste. Disgusting.”
Hansal Mehta is a director renowned for critically praised films such as Shahid and Aligarh. He also directed the blockbuster Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story. His next movie will be a thriller with Kareena Kapoor, which will be nameless.