However, the ad has come under fire for its insensitive portrayal of a Dalit character named ‘Kachra’ from the Oscar-nominated film Lagaan. The character appears as a paperweight, table, flower pot, hand towel, jacket, and lamp, intended to raise awareness about the waste (referred to as ‘kachra’) associated with each item. The ad concludes with the hashtag # Let’srecycleKachra.

Utilising a Dalit character as a mere prop in this controversial Advertisement has sparked criticism for its insensitivity towards the Dalit community. This incident brings to mind a meeting I had with an advertising agency in Mumbai, where I mentioned that I write about Dalit issues, particularly in the urban context. To my surprise, one of the interviewers responded with astonishment, questioning the existence of Dalits in Mumbai and displaying a lack of awareness about their presence in society.

While it would be unfair to generalise broadly about everyone in the advertising industry, it is perplexing how an overt casteist advertisement managed to pass through multiple stages of the campaign creation process. This process typically involves brainstorming, research, storyboarding, mood boarding, numerous meetings, editing, and various stages of post-production. One would expect that one person involved in this process would recognise the high casteist portrayal and raise concerns.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident in the advertising industry. Several years ago, Kent released a casteist advertisement for their atta maker, which faced significant backlash. The ad conveyed that allowing maids to knead atta dough by hand was unhygienic, promoting their product as a superior alternative. Similarly, the biscuit company Mario uses the tagline “Baked to Perfection, Untouched by Hands.” These advertisements go beyond concerns about hygiene and carry casteist undertones, perpetuating the belief that specific individuals’ touch is considered “impure” based on caste-based notions of purity. India has been discriminating against its castes for centuries.

Dalits have historically been viewed as impure in Indian society, resulting in social discrimination. To demonstrate their acceptance of Dalit food, Indian politicians have undertaken “eating with Dalit” tours, often accompanied by photoshoots. Notably, an incident in the past involving a BJP minister sparked controversy when allegations surfaced that he did not eat food prepared by Dalits during a “Eat with Dalit” tour and instead ordered food from outside. It is only to be hoped that Zomato’s advertisement was yet to be created similarly.

The United States would likely experience controversy over an advertisement with openly racist overtones, and companies would be expected to apologise. However, in this case, Zomato’s half-hearted apology suggests that they had good intentions of promoting environmental conservation, but the execution of the ad failed to convey the intended message.

It is ironic that an ad promoting environmental conservation mocks Dalits, considering Dalits have been ecological stewards for centuries. 

Environmentalists know that Dalits are often forced into occupations that require them to actively maintain the country, contributing to its sustainability and livability. Despite their invaluable service, they are labelled as “polluted” by an ungrateful nation.

Consequently, this approach differs dramatically from the privileged one.

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