The pre-recorded caller tune that features Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan cautioning against cybercrime will no longer be heard by Indian mobile users starting on Thursday.
According to reports, the Central government has wrapped up the awareness campaign that launched the message to inform the public about the growing prevalence of online fraud.
According to NDTV, the government decided to discontinue the initiative, which had been playing as a precautionary pre-call alert for the past several months. A source cited by the outlet stated, “The campaign has come to an end, and therefore, the caller tune will be removed from today.”
The program was a component of a larger government initiative to educate the public about online financial fraud, identity theft, and phishing scams.
People should exercise caution when interacting online or over the phone, Amitabh Bachchan advised in his famous voice. Millions of people nationwide began to recognise the caller tune.
Not all of the comments, though, were favourable. The message was criticised by several users for creating delays during emergency or urgent calls. This worry seems to have played a part in the campaign's demise.
Despite the criticisms, Big B maintained a composed stance on social media when trolled about the caller tune. Earlier this week, the megastar posted a cryptic message on X (formerly Twitter): “Ji haan huzoor, main bhi ek prashansak hoon. Toh??” (Yes, sir, I’m a fan too. So??)
In response, a user mocked, “Toh phone pe bolna band kro bhay” (So stop saying it on the phone). Amitabh Bachchan calmly replied, “Sarkar ko bolo bhai, unhone jo kaha humne kar diya” (Tell the government, I did what they told me to do).
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Another troll wrote, “Buddha sathiya gaya hai” (The old man has gone senile), to which Amitabh Bachchan responded with grace and wit: “Ek din, Bhagwan naa kare voh din jaldi aaye, jab aap bhi sathiya jaaye… Jo satha, wo patha” (One day — God forbid it comes soon — you too will grow senile… The older, the wiser).
Amitabh Bachchan has previously encountered criticism for a government statement. His voice was heard in a similar pre-call recording during the COVID-19 pandemic, which also encountered legal issues after he and his family members became infected.
In terms of her career, Amitabh Bachchan most recently starred with Rajinikanth in the Tamil action drama Vettaiyan, which was directed by TJ Gnanavel.
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