After day-long confusion, tourism ministry clarifies Aamir still part of "Incredible India"

The rumour mills went into overdrive today after reports of Aamir Khan being removed from the "Incredible India" campaign started doing the rounds.

The tourism ministry has clarified that the actor still remains the face of the campaign and that there has been no change.

Statement of @tourismgoi 1. In response to certain news reports appearing in the media, about Shri @aamir_khan,

— Ministry of Tourism (@tourismgoi) January 6, 2016

2. the @tourismgoi clarifies that there is no change in the stand of the ministry in this matter.

— Ministry of Tourism (@tourismgoi) January 6, 2016

3. The Ministry further clarifies that at present it has a contractual agreement with creative agency Mc Cann Worldwid to produce...

— Ministry of Tourism (@tourismgoi) January 6, 2016

4. social awareness campaign and the said campaign featured Shri @aamir_khan.

— Ministry of Tourism (@tourismgoi) January 6, 2016

Two months ago his comments on the intolerance debate that had polarised Bollywood and social media, saw a lot of negative comments against the actor.

Earlier it was reported that the ministry was scouting for a new face for the "Atithi Devo Bhavo" campaign.

At an event held in November, he had created a furor when he had said that he was "alarmed at the growing intolerance" in the country. In fact, he had also cited his director wife Kiran Rao's concerns about raising their son in India in the existing climate. His comments had drawn flak from the BJP as well as some of his own members of the Bollywood community.

The Incredible India campaign was conceptualized in 2002 by V Sunil (while he was the Creative Director in O&M Delhi), and Amitabh Kant, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism. The iconic "Incredible India" logo with the exclamation mark formed the "I" of India.

In a media blitzkrieg, Aamir has starred in a series of print and TV commercials that drive home the "Atithi Devo Bhava" peg of the campaign.