In November 2020, some social-media users said a Bingo! advertisement starring Ranveer Singh mocked the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The ad did not mention Rajput. The accusation rested on the ad’s science and outer-space language, which those users connected to interests they associated with him. ITC Foods, the company behind Bingo!, called the allegation “completely false, erroneous and mischievous” and said the commercial had been filmed in October 2019 and aired later because of a Covid-19 delay in product launches.
The controversy is therefore a dispute between an online interpretation and the company’s account. Neither side’s claim about the advertiser’s intent has been independently established by the reporting available.
What the advertisement showed
The commercial shows Ranveer Singh being questioned by relatives about his plans. According to The Tribune, the question is “Beta, aage ka kya plan hai (what is your plan for the future)?” The actor answers with a deliberately elaborate line of pseudo-scientific comedy:
“Paradoxical photons of atrangi algorithm ko E = mc2 mein laga kar interstellar Mitra Mandal conference ke aliens ki feelings match karne ka plan hai.”
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That line is dialogue from the advertisement as quoted by The Tribune. It is not a statement by Rajput, and it does not name him. Scroll also reported that the ad made no reference to Rajput.
The allegation and who made it
The claim came from social-media users, not from a named critic, journalist or official. They argued that the ad’s references to science, space and aliens alluded to Rajput, who was widely associated with those interests. Scroll reported the accusation as the ad “mocks Sushant Singh,” a phrase used in the headline to describe what those users claimed.
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Reactions were not uniform. The reports describe criticism of the advertisement and calls to boycott Bingo!, including the hashtag #BoycottBingo. The Tribune also records at least one user who pushed back against the idea that every science reference was meant as a slight. The coverage does not show how many people held either view.
ITC Foods’ response
ITC Foods denied that the advertisement was intended to make fun of any celebrity. Scroll quoted the company’s statement that the allegation was “completely false, erroneous and mischievous,” and described a message “alleging that an advertisement of Bingo! is making fun of a late Bollywood celebrity.”
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The company’s timeline explains the gap between filming and broadcast. Scroll quoted the statement as follows, preserving the source’s wording and spelling:
“The recent Bingo! advertisements was shot more than a year ago in October 2019. It is being aired this year because of delay in the launch of Bingo! Mad Angels Cheese Nachos and Bingo! Mad Angles Pizza due to Covid-19 pandemic.”
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In practical terms, the company’s account places the shoot before Rajput’s death in June 2020, and says the broadcast waited for two product launches that were themselves delayed by the pandemic. That account is the company’s own, as reported by news outlets in November 2020. The reports do not independently verify when the creative concept was developed or who approved it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is and is not established
The table below separates the points the reports support from the points they leave open.
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| Point | Status in the reporting | Attribution |
|---|---|---|
| Ranveer Singh appears in the ad and gives the “paradoxical photons” answer | Reported as the ad’s content | Scroll (Nov. 19, 2020); The Tribune (Nov. 20, 2020) |
| The ad does not mention Rajput | Reported as fact about the ad | Scroll (Nov. 19, 2020) |
| The ad mocks or alludes to Rajput | Allegation only | Some social-media users |
| The ad was shot in October 2019 and aired later due to a Covid-19 launch delay | Company’s account as reported | ITC Foods, quoted by Scroll |
| The allegation is false | Company’s denial as reported | ITC Foods, quoted by Scroll |
| The advertiser’s creative intent | Not independently established | Not stated by any independent source |
| Number of participants, posts, views, or boycott effect | No figures in the reports | Not stated in Scroll or The Tribune |
| Formal review or ruling on the allegation | None reported in these articles | Not stated in Scroll or The Tribune |
How to weigh a claim like this
- Check whether the source quotes the advertisement or describes it. Here, the dialogue is quoted by The Tribune, while the claim that it mocked Rajput comes from users.
- Separate the audience’s reading from the advertiser’s intent. Two people can see the same reference differently, and neither reading proves what the creators meant.
- Look for dates. The shoot date (October 2019), the death (June 2020), the launch delay (2020) and the publication dates (November 19 and 20, 2020) are all part of the company’s explanation and the timeline readers need to assess it.
- Be cautious with size claims. Online outrage can be visible without being measurable, and none of the reports quantify it.
Sources
- Scroll Staff, Scroll.in, November 19, 2020, “New ‘Bingo!’ ad mocks Sushant Singh, claim social media users; company dismisses allegations.”
- Tribune Web Desk, The Tribune, November 20, 2020, “Sushant Rajput’s fans call for boycott of Ranveer Singh’s new Bingo ad; brand issues clarification.”
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