In the cruise ship drug case, EdTech startup Byju’s has reportedly paused Shahrukh Khan’s ads after his son Aryan’s arrest. Shahrukh Khan has been the brand ambassador of the Bengaluru based unicorn since 2017 and has featured in multiple ads for the platform.
According to a The Economic Times report, the startup hit pause on the ads after it received massive backlash on Twitter by netizens. The startup and the actor are sure to lose significant capital as advance bookings of the ads at various spot was already made.
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Every action and inaction we take have consequences. The larger influence we yield, the more vulnerable we can get to consequences of a person who may be directly related to us.
The theory is being proven true in the ongoing cruise ship drug case. After Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan got arrested in matter involving alleged consumption of drugs, his father has suffered losses in his professional life.
Reportedly, Shahrukh’s ads for Byju’s have been paused by the startup itself following his son’s arrest.
The Facts of the Matter
Byju, the Bengaluru-based EdTech unicorn has chosen to pause all the ads which features Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan. The move was taken after Shahrukh’s son Aryan was arrested in the ongoing cruise ship drug case. Earlier last week, 23-year-old Aryan was arrested by the NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau) after the drug control body conducted a raid on a Goa-bound cruise ship.
Byju’s Receives Backlash from Twitter
Although several celebrities have come forward in their support for Shahrukh and his son Aryan, the A-listed actor will be accruing loses due to his son’s alleged involvement. According to reports, the folks at Byju’s faced tremendous backlash on social media, after which they decided to pause all ads that features Shahrukh Khan.
Also Read: Aryan Khan Bail Rejected in Cruise Ship Drug Bust Case, Aryan and 2 Other Accused to Stay in Jail
Shahrukh Khan – No More the King of Endorsements?
55-year-old Shahrukh Khan is popularly known as an actor that has done an ad for product across most categories. From automobiles (Hyundai), technology (Reliance Jio), to tourism (Dubai), and finance (ICICI), Khan has done and sold it all.
His association with Byju’s began after he was announced as the startup’s brand ambassador back in 2017. With an annual fee of reportedly Rs. 3-4 crores from Byju’s, Khan’s new woes are bound to put a hole in his earnings.
Byju’s Reluctance to Associate with Shahrukh Khan
A person involved in the matter was reported claiming that the company paused Khan’s ad as it decided that it doesn’t want to align itself to the actor due to the drug case. It’s still unclear whether this is the end of Shahrukh’s endorsement deal with Byju’s.
It is also being reported that the reason why the company took its time to pause the ads was that the advance bookings for ad slots were made a while ago.
Also Read: Woman Aboard Pushpak Express Gangraped by Robbers, Property Worth Rs 96,390 Also Stolen
The Aryan Khan Drug Case So Far
The backlash against Shahrukh Khan’s ads with Byju’s came after his son was arrested in a high-octane rave party drug bust on a Goa-bound cruise ship. The 23-year-old son of popular actor suffered a major setback on Friday this week as the Mumbai Court rejected his plea for bail. For now, Aryan and other accused are in the Arthur Road Jail.
