condom advert with Sunny Leone angering Indians?
An advertisement promoting the popular Manforce brand of condoms ahead of the major Hindu festival of Navratri in the western state of Gujarat has angered some Indians.
Just days before the nine-day festival was to begin on Thursday, huge billboards went up in several cities in the state in which the Canadian actress of Indian origin Sunny Leone is seen advising people to "Play this Navratri, but with love [Aa Navratriye ramo, paraantu prem thi]".
A former porn star who has made a successful transition to the role of leading lady in hit Bollywood movies, Ms Leone has a massive fan following in India and is the brand ambassador for Manforce, the country's biggest condom company.
The advert outraged some conservative Indians who accused the contraceptive firm of "taking marketing to an all-time low".
Many took to social media sites to criticise the "offending advert" and the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) even lodged a complaint with the government, calling for an immediate ban on it.
Mr Khandelwal, who's based in Delhi, spotted the billboards during his visit to the city of Surat earlier this week.
"The advert doesn't mention the word condom, but it uses double entendre to encourage youths to use Manforce condoms in the name of Navratri festival. It's unethical," he said.
Following complaints, police in Surat and Vadodara city (formerly Baroda) have taken down dozens of billboards, but Mr Khandelwal is demanding action against the condom manufacturer and the actress "to set an example for future offenders".
Neither the condom company nor the actress has commented on the controversy, but some say a condom advert during the Navratri festival is perhaps not such a bad idea.