NEW YORK,NY - The first thought would be that it’s a social awareness campaign ad, to highlight the Sikh community, an effort to fight discrimination based on appearance. However, a huge billboard ad at Times Square featuring an Indian American actor and model, Pritam Singh, 74, with a turban and beard, is a promotional for Dollar Shave Club, a California-based company selling hair grooming, trimming, and maintenance products, according to news reports.

The tagline to the ad, ‘Beard Oil Because for Some People Beards are Religion’, makes it apparent that it’s squarely aimed at religious minorities like the Sikh and Muslim communities, as well as South Asian diaspora, where keeping facial hair is a fashion style too.
Beards of late have been given a huge fillip by the recent successes of the Indian cricket team Down Under led by a bearded Virat Kohli, and his merry band of bearded Indian teammates.
The California-based Pritam Singh’s son, Amandeep Singh, is an actor too, who has appeared in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy.
Amandeep expressed his admiration for his dad by posting on social media a photo of the ad at Times Square.
Last year, Amandeep had posted another photo of him with his father, after they voted in the elections. That time he had this to say: “Just voted with Paps!!! You go vote too!!! Gotta represent Cali!!! #vote #govote #cali #california #election #election2018 #thathollywoodsikh #actor #sikh #america”
Beards of late have been given a huge fillip by the recent successes of the Indian cricket team Down Under led by a bearded Virat Kohli, and his merry band of bearded Indian teammates.
The California-based Pritam Singh’s son, Amandeep Singh, is an actor too, who has appeared in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy.
Amandeep expressed his admiration for his dad by posting on social media a photo of the ad at Times Square.
Last year, Amandeep had posted another photo of him with his father, after they voted in the elections. That time he had this to say: “Just voted with Paps!!! You go vote too!!! Gotta represent Cali!!! #vote #govote #cali #california #election #election2018 #thathollywoodsikh #actor #sikh #america”