Pierce Brosnan is shaken, and it is creating quite the stir.
A few days ago, India woke up to an ad blitzkrieg by Pan Bahar, with videos and frontpage ads of the brand being endorsed by Brosnan in James Bond style.
And he was roasted online for endorsing a tobacco product.
Now it turns out, according to him, he never really agreed to endorse Pan Bahar’s entire brand.
In a statement to People Magazine, he said, “As a man who has spent decades championing women’s healthcare and environmental protection, I was distressed to learn of Pan Bahar’s unauthorized and deceptive use of my image to endorse their range of pan masala products.”
He added that the company “grossly manipulated” media outlets.
“I would never have entered into an agreement to promote a product in India that is dangerous to one’s health,” he added.
Stating that he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the controversy, he said that his contract details that he was to advertise only a “breath freshener/tooth whitener”.
Brosnan told People Magazine that he agreed to advertise a single product only, and that it was presented as “all-natural containing neither tobacco, supari, nor any other harmful ingredient.”
The controversy has left a bad taste in his mouth also for a particularly personal reason: he lost his first wife and daughter to cancer.
“Having endured, in my own personal life, the loss of my first wife and daughter as well as numerous friends to cancer, I am fully committed to supporting women’s healthcare and research programs that improve human health and alleviate suffering,” the statement read.