After fighting 12 years against Coca Cola, for not keeping up a contest promise of a dinner date with Hrithik, Shikha is closer to her goal
Like many teenagers, 18-year-old Shikha was a big fan of the then new Bollywood sensation Hrithik Roshan. In 2000, when Hrithik made his debut with Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Shikha was overjoyed when she won a “romantic dinner date” in a promotional scheme launched by Coca Cola.
However, the joy of meeting him turned into a chapter of embarrassment. Shikha, who was a student of Government College for Girls in Chandigarh, became famous for winning the date with Hrithik, little realising that her joy would be short lived.
Soon after winning the competition, when Shikha and her family went to the Coca Cola office in Chandigarh, officials offered money instead of a date as mentioned in the prize. “When we talked to the production manager he was shocked. He told us that no one was supposed to win it and offered a certain amount,” reveals Shikha’s father Ravi Monga.
After that, Shikha tried to reason with the company officials for her prize, and was assured a date with Hrithik by the company officials. However, in 2003 Shikha filed an application against Coca Cola. Now, 12 years later, the Chandigarh district court has issued a notice on her 12-year application. The 34-year-old has sought damages of Rs 2.5 crore and the company will file its reply on August 24.
Shikha says, “I used to buy a lot of cola with my pocket money, there were a lot of small prizes on the crown of the bottle, but one day when I took out a bottle from a crate of coke, it read ‘romantic dinner with Hrithik Roshan’.
It was a great feeling to win the prize, but when I was declined the prize, it was shattering. I became the butt of jokes in college and locality, and was even dubbed a liar.”
