Puma ad featuring Milind Soman running on train tracks draws IRAS officer's ire. Video

Milind Soman is the face of the Puma advertisement that irked the IRAS officer. (Image: screengrab from video @Ananth_IRAS/X)

An Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer, Ananth Rupanagudi, has publicly criticised a recent advertisement by sportswear brand Puma featuring model-actor Milind Soman. The advertisement, which depicts Soman jogging along a railway track, has drawn sharp scrutiny from Rupanagudi, who contends that such depictions are both irresponsible and potentially dangerous.

Rupanagudi took to social media to voice his concerns, posting the ad alongside a stern rebuke aimed at both Puma and Soman. "I have a problem with this ad, @PUMA. Railway tracks aren't meant for jogging and it's treated as trespassing," Rupanagudi asserted in his tweet.

Addressing Soman directly, he added, "@milindrunning – you should have verified this before shooting this ad. @PUMA, please put a disclaimer on this ad." The video advertisement, which begins with sweeping shots of a tranquil forest setting, follows Soman as he runs across varied terrain, including a railway track, before culminating with him emerging from a tunnel, visibly perspiring.

I have a problem with this ad, @PUMA. Railway tracks aren't meant for jogging and it's treated as trespassing. @milindrunning - you should have verified this before shooting this ad. @PUMA, please put a disclaimer on this ad. #IndianRailways #Advertising @RailMinIndia @RPF_INDIA pic.twitter.com/gSqa58BNR4

— Ananth Rupanagudi (@Ananth_IRAS) May 5, 2024

One user shared, "While residing at a cottage in Lovedale, Ooty, the railway tracks' parallel path was the only access, and hence most of the times, I used to walk on the tracks to reach home. Of course, this section of the railway witnessed only the mountain train chugging occasionally." Another countered, "I don't see any issue with the ad. Aren't we nitpicking?"

Rupanagudi also informed where he believed the ad was shot in Mumbai. “I believe it's the railway track in the Borivali National Park. But running on the track of Indian Railways is fundamentally wrong. The messaging of the ad is not correct,” he wrote in comments.

Responding to the mounting criticism, a third user raised questions about the filming location and permissions. "Adding a disclaimer makes sense, as a responsible entity. However, had it been shot on IR tracks, who gave permission? If not shot on IR tracks, then what's bothering IR?"

A fourth said: “Also, he is seen jogging in the middle of road. Although with no traffic, road is not meant for it. Also, in the deep woods. I think a person cannot visit or jog in a forest core area. And last but not the least, on a narrow gauge track, but it looks like an abandoned one.”

The advertisement's contentious portrayal has brought into focus the intersection of public safety, advertising ethics, and the growing influence of social media activism in scrutinising commercial content. Soman or Puma have not responded to the matter.