Tamannaah Bhatia takes over as Mysore Sandal brand ambassador; 57 personal, home care products added to catalogue

Speaking at the launch, Patil said that KSDL was not confined to Mysore Sandal soap alone. “We are now manufacturing jasmine-scented luxury soaps as well,” he said, noting that each soap would cost Rs 400 due to the high cost of jasmine oil. Jasmine-based products have a significant demand in the European market, the minister said.

Ahead of the event, BJP MP K Sudhakar had criticised the Congress Government for not picking a Kannada actor as the brand ambassador.

“Even though there are many stars from our own Kannada land, the Congress government has appointed a film actress from another state and another language as the brand ambassador for Karnataka’s renowned international brand, Mysore Sandal Soap, by paying her crores of rupees. This is yet another piece of evidence of the Congress party’s anti-Kannada mindset,” he said in a post on X.

Patil dismissed the claims, saying that he had clarified the selection process in the past. He said the committee to select an ambassador had gone through five to six names, of which two or three were from Karnataka. “But they (the Kannada actors) had endorsed some other products,” he said, adding that one celebrity is not allowed to promote two products.

KSDL has sales across the country, and Bhatia was picked as she has a pan-India appeal, the minister said.