Promotion? Or Panga?

Mumbai: A complaint was filed today in a magistrate's court here against Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and a few others for allegedly promoting "false beliefs" in a TV advertisement.

Activist Hemant Patil, the complainant, has demanded registration of a police case against them under Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.

Bachchan had played a ghost in Hindi film 'Bhoothnath', and its sequel, 'Bhoothnath Returns', is coming.

Patil's complaint is about a TV commercial for health drink brand Complan where Bachchan reprises his ghost character from the film.

He says the advertisement promotes belief in the existence of ghosts and spirits and consequently the need for the magic to ward them off.

"The food-product company has come out with a 45-second advertisement on the issue without publishing any disclaimer before or after the broadcast," said Patil's lawyer, advocate Wajid Pathan.

Suburban Bandra police refused to register a complaint, so Patil had to move the court, the petition says.

Magistrate Sita Kulkarni would hear it on April 18.

PTI