Indian Railway Officer Angry With Puma Ad

An Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer, Ananth Rupanagudi, criticized a recent Puma ad featuring Milind Soman.

The ad shows Soman jogging on railway tracks, sparking debate online. Rupanagudi asked Puma to add a disclaimer to the video by tagging the Ministry of Railways and Puma on social media.

The ad starts with a view of a forest and then shows Soman jogging on various terrains including railway tracks before ending with him sweating near a tunnel.

"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" wrote Ananth Rupanagudi. 

Rupanagudi's post led to a debate with some supporting the ad. One user mentioned using railway tracks as a pathway in Ooty while another felt there was no issue with the ad.

While adding a disclaimer was seen as responsible questions were raised about permission if the ad was shot on railway tracks.

Some wondered why the railways were bothered if the ad wasn't filmed on their tracks.

But the bottom line is that Ananth Rupanagudi's concern is that if the youth take this ad as inspiration and run on railway tracks, their lives would be endangered.