Pak Restaurant Uses Alia Bhatt's Brothel Scene To Draw Male Customers, Gets Backlash

A restaurant in Karachi, Pakistan has been drawing flak from social media users after they posted an advertisement using a scene from Alia Bhatt starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi.

In the said scene, Bhatt is seen standing in front of a brothel and calling of men with her hands gestured towards them. In the film, the scene holds significance as it was the first time, Bhatt's Gangu decides to accept her fate and earn money as a sex worker. The expression on her face is a reminder of her lost agency and soul crushing defeat. She says, "Aja na Raja". Come here, dear.

The Pakistani restaurant made an advertisement for a Men's Monday and offered 25 percent discount for male customers. Bhatt's still from the film was used with the same defeated look on her face and the tagline used by eatery read, "Aja na Raja - what are you waiting for?"

Pakistan Restaurant Gangubai Kathiawadi Ad

Social media users after encountering the ad and its poster seemed outraged. They pointed out the the restaurant's bid to attract male customers using a brothel scene was in bad taste. The eatery was accused of using "cheap promotion". One user wrote, "You really need to look into what’s being put up here. To use a painful scene to justify whatever you’re offering is reeking of misogyny, ignorance." Similar comments were posted by many other users. Another user wrote that if the restaurant thinks that using a scene from Gangubai Kathiawadi, a film based on a real life woman who got pushed into sex work, as a marketing strategy will gain them attention then they are "sadly mistaken." See the advertisement here. 

" Just shows how low and shallow you can get just for publicity," they wrote.

Suggested Reading: Alia Bhatt’s ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ Becomes Most Watched Indian Film On Netflix

After several such remarks against the advertisement, the restaurant made another post to clarify their stand. They said that the scene was just used a concept and didn't intend to hurt anyone's sentiments. Speaking further on how the ad was just targetted at men, the restaurant wrote, "The movie and this post is based on a concept. Like before, we're open to all and will be serving you with the same love like we always have," it said using another tagline 'Movie kare tou aag, restaurant kare tou paap?'

What do you think about the advertisement? Let us know in comments.