Byju’s has temporarily suspended advertising with its brand ambassador, Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan.
The move follows a Twitter storm over the online training company that Shahrukh continued to use while his son Arian Khan was jailed for alleged drug use. Emails sent to Byju have not received a response from the press.
Khan has been a Byju brand ambassador since 2017. He recently promoted the company’s online live learning initiative called Byju Class. Last year, a TV commercial was launch with IPL, which discussed personalized learning solutions after school.
Khan also endorses several other brands, including Big Basket and Reliance Jio.
But Byju Stopped Shahrukh has received the most attacks on Twitter for caring for children. And her problems involve her son and drugs. Byju’s is India’s most valuable startup. It recently raise $300 million in funding and is value at $18 billion. The company has 100 million students on its free platform and seven million paying customers. Creator Byju has increased his fortune 19% to 24,300 rupees this year. According to the latest India IIFL list of the rich for 2021.
Reliable sources told IANS on Saturday that Byju stopped all ads featuring Shahrukh Khan. Apparently after social media users criticized Edtech for approving ads featuring the actor. He has been Byju’s brand ambassador since 2017.
When he was contacted, a spokesperson for Byju decline to comment.
Byju’s was acquired this year. A total of nine companies were receive this year. The tech giant is also considering an initial public offering (IPO) that could cost around $40 billion to $45 billion. Shahrukh Khan has more than 42 million followers on Twitter and 26.5 million followers on Facebook’s Instagram.
Criticism came over the arrests following an attack with a theatrical rave party on the cruise ship Cordelia during NCB’s cruise from Mumbai to Goa on October 2. In a severe setback for Shah Rukh’s son Aryan, a Mumbai court rejected his request for bail for two others among eight people arrested on Friday.
Additional Chief Justice Metropolitan R.M. Nerlikar rejected bail requests from Aryan, Arbaaz Merchant, and Munmun Dhamecha on the grounds of “supporting” and supporting the claims by the Drug Control Bureau (NCB) Legal Department. The development came a day after the eight defendants were brought to court and transferred from NCB Prison to a regular prison.