Fortune cooking oil ad featuring Ganguly taken off air

Fortune cooking oil has temporarily halted television commercials featuring former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly following a mild heart attack he suffered.

But the company insisted the BCCI chief is not being dropped as the brand ambassador and the commercials will be back on air soon.

Ganguly last week suffered a mild heart attack, following which he had to undergo angioplasty.

The news of his health had led to a lot of buzz on social media with some seeking to link it with his endorsements.

Ganguly, whose condition is said to be stable with vital health parameters being normal, endorses Fortune Rice Bran cooking oil of the Adani Wilmar group.

"We shall continue to work with Sourav and he will continue to be our brand ambassador.

“We have only taken a temporary break in our TV commercial till we again sit with Sourav and take things forward.

“This is a very unfortunate incident and can happen with anyone," Adani Wilmar deputy CEO Angshu Mallick told PTI.

He said recently a senior IT executive was reported to have collapsed on a treadmill while exercising. "Does that mean treadmill is bad"?

Rice bran oil, he said, is one of the world's most healthy oils and contains natural antioxidants.

"Gamma Oryzonal present in rice bran oil reduces bad cholesterol and improves lipid profile.

“Sourav Ganguly became our brand ambassador endorsing our Fortune rice bran oil.

“The rice bran oil is not a medicine but only cooking oil.

“There are several factors which affect heart ailments including dietary and hereditary issues," he said.

Gujarat-based Adani Wilmar is an equal joint venture between infrastructure conglomerate Adani Group and Singapore's Wilmar Group.

Formed in 1999, the Rs 30,000 crore turnover firm sells cooking oil under the 'Fortune' brand.

Besides edible oils, it sells food products such as wheat flour, besan, rice, pulses, sugar, and soya nuggets under the Fortune brand.

It is also into castor oil and personal care business under which it manufactures soaps.

Photograph: Kind courtesy, Sudarshan Pattnaik via Twitter