Amitabh Bachchan’s voice will no longer greet callers with a cyber fraud awareness message as the government has decided to withdraw the campaign from Thursday. The pre-recorded caller tune, which had become a regular part of phone calls across the country, was part of a government initiative to spread awareness about rising digital fraud cases. However, mounting complaints about it hindering urgent calls have prompted its removal.
Caller tune campaign ends after backlash
The caller tune, voiced by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan, was launched as a public awareness initiative by the central government to educate citizens about cybercrime and fraud prevention. Every time users made a phone call, Amitabh Bachchan’s voice would issue a warning urging people to be cautious about online scams, phishing, and fraudulent transactions.
While the campaign initially received praise for using a familiar voice to deliver a serious message, it soon drew criticism. Many users complained that the tune caused delays during emergency calls, as they were unable to bypass the message and connect directly. Over time, frustration grew, especially during medical or urgent situations, where even a few seconds could be crucial.
Government sources told NDTV that the campaign had reached its conclusion, and the caller tune would be withdrawn effective immediately. “The campaign has come to an end and therefore, the caller tune will be removed from today,” said one of the sources familiar with the decision.
Actor responds to criticism on social media
Amitabh Bachchan, who had previously lent his voice for similar public health messages during the COVID-19 pandemic, found himself at the center of criticism once again. Users on social media began targeting him for the repetitive caller tune, even though the actor had no direct role in the policy decision.
In response to the backlash, Amitabh Bachchan made several remarks that reflected both his irritation and his sense of humour. When a social media user sarcastically asked him to stop speaking on phone calls, he replied, “Sarkar ko bolo bhai, unhone jo kaha humne kar diya,” meaning, “Tell the government, I did what they told me to do.”
The veteran actor, known for his wit, didn’t shy away from addressing ageist remarks either. When another user mocked his age, he retorted, “Ek din bhagwan na karein who jaldi aaye, aap bhi sathiya jaayenge. Parantu humare yahan kahawat hai – jo satha, who patha,” translating to, “May that day never come early, but you too will age. And we have a saying – the older, the wiser.”
This is not the first time Amitabh Bachchan has faced public ire for a caller tune. During the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, his voice was used to deliver health advisories on mobile networks. At that time, a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Delhi High Court, demanding the removal of his voice from the caller tune after he and some of his family members tested positive for the virus.
The withdrawal of the cybercrime awareness caller tune marks the end of a unique campaign that aimed to leverage celebrity influence for public service messaging. Though its intent was noble, the delivery mechanism eventually became a source of inconvenience, prompting both public dissatisfaction and legal scrutiny.
