Former Bond star Pierce Brosnan, who played the suave, unflappable 007 in GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough, flaunts a can of pan masala in ads that debuted on Friday in newspapers, billboards and channels.

Squinting Bond-style, the now-bearded 63-year-old might well be holding a Walther P99 gun for all the flourish - not the betel nut-based mouth freshener that leaves red stains after being chewed or spat out.

In the television ad, it is vintage Brosnan fighting baddies, flirting with women and pulling daring stunts, armed with his trusty... pan masala.

"Class never goes out of style," the Irish actor says at end of the ad.

The campaign created by DDB Mudra and shot in Texas, blends the pan masala brand with the epitome of sophistication. Some are calling it clever, others positively outrageous.

"Our choice of Pierce Brosnan as brand ambassador for Pan Bahar is in line with our campaign idea of 'Pehchan Kamyabi Ki' (the mark of success). Thanks to his previous avatar as James Bond, Mr Brosnan is seen the world over as a symbol of sophistication, suavity and success. And Pan Bahar, as his choice, reflects that aspiration in the consumer base we were targeting," said Sambit Mohanty of DDB Mudra.

Diehard Bond fans are decidedly shaken.

Shocking, positively shocking, said Internet, to quote a famous Bond line.

Twitterati Yashi Singh ‏@AyushiYashing

Pierce Brosnan has taken his dialogue too far:
“I always enjoyed learning a new tongue.” pic.twitter.com/vW5KFcSUHj
— Yashi Singh (@AyushiYashing) October 7, 2016

Yuvan Shankar Raja composed music for Pan Bahar ad

Well-known southern composer Yuvan Shankar Raja, son of maestro Ilayaraja, has composed the background score for Pierce Brosnan-starrer Pan Bahar commercial, which has gone viral on social media.

In a statement, it was announced that Yuvan had composed the background score for the 60-second commercial.

"The commercial, with the string section lifted with mambo rhythms, gives audience a James Bond movie feel," read the statement.

According to a source close to Yuvan, "he jumped at the opportunity to work on the commercial, as he is a huge fan of James Bond. Hence, he was very excited to be part of this venture".

On the career front, Yuvan's latest album "Chennai 600028 II" has been released.

--IANS