The decision comes after a wave of online trolling directed at Bachchan in recent weeks.

New Delhi: The Centre’s cybercrime awareness campaign featuring veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan as the voice behind a pre-recorded caller tune has officially come to an end, reported NDTV. Starting Thursday, the tune, which played automatically every time users initiated a call, will no longer be heard. 

Introduced to raise awareness about cyber fraud, the message has become a familiar part of daily phone calls across the country. However, the initiative also drew growing criticism, particularly from those who found the mandatory message disruptive during emergencies when instant connectivity was crucial. 

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“The campaign has come to an end, and therefore, the caller tune will be removed from today,” reported NDTV, citing sources.

The decision comes after a wave of online trolling directed at Bachchan in recent weeks. Though the actor merely lent his voice to a government campaign, many social media users directed their ire at him personally. 

On Monday, Bachchan responded sharply to some of the online jabs. One user replied to a tweet of his saying, “Toh phone pe bolna band kro bhay” (So stop speaking on the phone). To this, Bachchan curtly responded: “Sarkar ko bolo bhai, unhone jo kaha humne kar diya” (Tell the government — I did what they asked me to). 

Another user taunted the 81-year-old over his age, writing, “Buddha sathiya gaya” (The old man has gone senile). Bachchan’s retort was measured but pointed: “Ek din bhagwan na karein woh jaldi aaye, aap bhi sathiya jaayenge. Parantu humarein yaha kahawat hai — jo sathaa, woh pathaa” (God forbid the day comes too soon, but one day you will go senile too. As the saying goes: with age comes wisdom). 

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This is not the first time Bachchan has been caught in the crossfire over public service campaigns. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his voice was similarly used in government-mandated caller tunes urging precaution and vaccination. That too sparked criticism, especially after Bachchan and some of his family members contracted the virus. A PIL was even filed in the Delhi High Court seeking removal of his voice from the COVID caller alert. 

Despite the backlash, Bachchan has repeatedly clarified that he only recorded the messages on request and under official instruction. With the cybercrime campaign now concluded, the government appears to have quietly stepped away from the initiative.