Educational app pauses all ads featuring SRK following his son’s arrest in the drug case

An educational app that has Shah Rukh Khan as its brand ambassador, has temporarily halted advertisements featuring the Bollywood superstar as his son Aryan Khan is under the scanner for an alleged drug probe by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Sources told IANS on Saturday that the app has stopped all ads featuring Shah Rukh Khan, apparently after social media users criticised the edtech company for endorsing ads featuring the actor, who has been the brand ambassador since 2017.

When reached, a spokesperson for the app declined to comment on the matter.

Netizens argued that promoting a learning app by someone who can’t teach his own child to act lawfully will reflect poorly on the company.

The criticism came in the wake of arrests after a high-drama rave party raid on Cordelia Cruise ship during the Mumbai-Goa voyage by the NCB on October 2.

Though the company has pulled SRK ads, it has not released any official statement regarding the issue. It is still not clear whether the company has temporarily pulled the ads featuring Shah Rukh Khan or has permanently dropped the actor as its brand ambassador.

While Shah Rukh Khan is the face of many well known brands this edtech app was one of the actor’s most lucrative sponsorship partnerships.

In a major setback for Shah Rukh's son Aryan, a Mumbai court on Friday rejected his bail plea, and of two others who were among the 8 arrested.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R.M. Nerlikar rejected the bail applications of Aryan, Arbaaz Merchant, and Munmun Dhamecha, on grounds of "maintainability", upholding the contentions of the legal team of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

The developments came a day after all the eight accused were sent to judicial custody, and they shifted to the regular prisons from the NCB lockup.