IFR ambassador row: No contract with Akshay, Kangana: Defence minister

Visakhapatnam: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar yesterday said the ministry had made no contracts with Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Kangana Ranaut to be the brand ambassadors of the International Fleet Review (IFR).

Addressing media persons on the sidelines of the International Maritime Conference, the defence minister said the brand ambassador's work is to sell the brand and according to him no selling was done by these two stars. "They were definitely invited, but no contract or money has been paid to them. As far as Ministry of Defence is concerned, there is no contract with them for brand ambassador," he said.

The government's Defence Wing, in a press release, had earlier stated that ‘the highlight of the event was the presence of Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Kangana Ranaut, the Brand Ambassadors of IFR, at the event'. They were present at the opening ceremony of IFR at INS Sathavahana Stadium on Friday.