An advertisement for a dough and bread maker, featuring Hema Malini is under fire. It has been termed 'derogatory' and 'classist' on social media. "Are you allowing your maid to knead the atta by hand? Her hands may be infected," read the ad for Kent's atta and bread maker in a bid to woo customers to knead dough hands-free.

On Wednesday, the severe backlash made the company issue an apology. "It was unintentional but wrongly communicated and it has been withdrawn. We support and respect all sections of the society," the statement read. Furious netizens wondered how the ad had been approved. Hema Malini tweeted, "The views expressed in the ad do not resonate with my values and are inappropriate. I hereby wish to put on record that I respect and stand by all sections of society." She also attached the press release issued by the company in which they apologised for the same. Here's her Twitter post:

Views expressed by the recent advertisement of Kent Atta by @KentROSystems do not resonate with my values and are inappropriate, The Chairman has already tendered a public apology for the mistake.I hereby wish to put on record that I respect and stand by all sections of society. pic.twitter.com/i6tY3hJdt8

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) May 27, 2020

The veteran actress has a long association with the company, she has also featured in several ads of their water purification systems.

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