Kozhikode: Vadakara cooperative hospital had invited itself negative publicity for allegedly using the picture of the popular American actor and director Morgan Freeman’s in an advertisement. The advertisement significantly hinted to mar the dignity of the actor and hit racial remarks. The copy read of offering treatment for skin diseases, no sooner the hospital authority was forced to remove it and provide an apology.
T Sunil, the marketing manager of the hospital, claimed to The New Indian Express that the hospital has not only issued an apology on Facebook, but also that the gaffe had stemmed from ignorance and there had been no intention of defaming the Hollywood celebrity.
The hospital faced strong criticism after many people shared the photos of the controversial ad on social media. Twitterati were concern with the usage of the actor's portrait with inappropriation, they tagged Morgan Freeman to bring the matter to his notice.
“Sir, @morgan_freeman your picture is used as a poster at a dermatology department advt board in hospital in Kerala, India. Using your picture as sample, they are claiming to make everyone free from dark tan, wrinkles, pigments… (sic)" wrote one.
Another tweet in this regard, read, "Kerala's fixation with skin colour is legendary. However dragging an iconic actor like Morgan Freeman for cheap publicity for a Dermatology clinic is pathetic."
To the unversed, Morgan Freeman is a winner of numerous awards including Oscar and Golden Globe. He is known for his various roles in a wide variety of film genres, a few of them being - The Bucket List (2007), The Dark Knight (2008), Vanquish (2021) and The Contract (2006).
