Veteran actor Govind Namdev, recently expressed his disappointment about actors endorsing products that are harmful to the mass. He shared how actors, should be responsible towards their fans with the products they showcase. Having said that, he recently made big claims about Hrithik Roshan who has done ads on Pan Masala, Gambling.

In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Govind shared that he used to be a big fan of Hrithik Roshan, but he was quite shocked when he saw the actor endorse a pan masala brand. “It is the actors’ responsibility that they show the right direction to the new generation. An actor should not do anything that shows people the wrong way. I used to really like Hrithik Roshan, I should say it, why shouldn’t I? But he is also doing gutka ad and also an ad to lure people into gambling, why? I used to like him a lot but when I saw him do all this, I was like, ‘kar kya rahe hai yeh (what is he doing)? You are teaching newcomers and youngsters to gamble. When an actor does an ad, they are praising it, isn’t it? It inspires people, ‘you do it!’ You are teaching them to gamble? You are teaching them to consume tobacco? Shouldn’t an actor be responsible, that they don’t misdirect the people?”

He further added, “Actors should not do such ads because people look up to them, mimic them, idolise them. They doing it in your style. Why show them the wrong direction? They have made you.”

When asked if he was ever offered to endorse such a product, he admitted that he had done a similar ad too and has regretted about it. “Yes, I was offered, and till date I regret doing that one bad deed. I had done an ad for Goa Pan Masala, almost 20 years ago. It was new back then, it had just started. One of my characters had become very famous, from Rajkumar Santoshi’s Lajja, my dialogue had also become famous, ‘Uth Jaayenge‘. Goa Pan Masala made an ad with that, same character, same look and dialogue. When I got that offer back then, I did not have that much awareness on what are the actors’ responsibilities. I was new and I did it. After doing it, I realised that if there was something I would call the worst thing of my career, it would be that ad. I still regret it but now there is now way to redeem myself.”