Govt pulls plug on Amitabh Bachchan’s cyber fraud caller tune

Amitabh Bachchan’s voice, which has echoed through millions of phones warning users against cyber fraud, has officially gone silent. Starting Thursday, the government has discontinued the pre-call awareness message, marking the end of its nationwide cybercrime awareness campaign.

The initiative, part of a broader effort to educate citizens on digital threats like phishing, online scams and identity theft, was rolled out at the peak of rising cyber fraud cases. Featuring Bachchan’s authoritative voice, the message played automatically before calls connected, an approach that ensured massive reach, but also triggered polarising reactions.

According to a report by NDTV, a government source confirmed that the campaign had run its course. “The campaign has come to an end, and therefore, the caller tune will be removed from today,” the source said.

While the message was designed with public safety in mind, it increasingly drew complaints, especially in urgent situations where users felt the delay was a nuisance. Still, Bachchan, who lent his voice as a public service, remained unbothered by the criticism and even answered trolls with his trademark poise and wit.

Earlier this week, Bachchan responded to online jabs about the caller tune. When one user on X mocked him saying, “Toh phone pe bolna band kro bhay (So stop saying it on the phone),” the actor responded, “Sarkar ko bolo bhai, unhone jo kaha humne kar diya (Tell the government, I just did what they asked).”

This isn’t the first time Bachchan has been at the center of controversy over public service announcements. A similar COVID-19 caller tune featuring his voice had also faced public backlash, even prompting a PIL seeking its removal.

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