Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, the brand ambassadors of Hyundai Motor India, were caught in the crosshairs of legal trouble. Listed among four others, an FIR was filed against them over a car’s manufacturing defect. However, this is not the first time that Bollywood stars have landed themselves in the middle of trouble due to their brand endorsements. From Ranveer Singh to Amir Khan, here is a list of the stars who faced backlash for representing certain brands.
Deepika Padukone-Shah Rukh Khan
Coming from a purchase in 2022, a lawyer from Rajasthan, Kirti Singh, filed an FIR for a fraud case against Hyundai officials, the dealership, and the brand ambassadors Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. Singh claimed that the car had a manufacturing defect as it failed to accelerate, but raised the RPM. She claimed that this fault put her and her family at risk and filed the complaint under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Associated with Hyundai since 1998, Shah Rukh Khan has been a long-standing partner of the brand. The actress, however, has been a new face of the campaign after she signed the deal in December 2023.
Akshay Kumar-Twinkle Khanna
Leading Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar sparked controversy with his wife, Twinkle Khanna, in 2009. The couple was headlining a fashion show for a denim brand and was accused of promoting obscenity on the ramp. A social worker filed a case after Kumar reportedly asked his wife to unbutton her pants, and she obliged. While it occurred nearly two decades ago, it had caused massive uproar back then.
Amitabh Bachchan
The Bollywood megstar, often referred to as Big B, has partnered with several brands and endorsed their values. Lending his voice to several public service announcements, Bachchan is one of the prominent cinematic icons. However, this one brand deal with Pepsi did not go well. In 2014, he had to cut ties with the brand after he was accused of promoting unhealthy products with negative impacts. With this fallout, the brand had to scrap the campaign for ethical reasons.
Aamir Khan
The star of the recent Sitaare Zameen Par, Aamir Khan’s Snapdeal endorsement was quick to turn sour. Endorsing the online marketplace, Amir Khan spoke about the increasing intolerance in India, causing fret and fume in society. Following this, the brand was quick to withdraw from the deal and ended the campaign silently.
Madhuri Dixit Nene
In June 2015, the decorated Bollywood actress, Madhuri Dixit Nene, faced legal wrath for endorsing Nestle’s Maggi noodles. Amid the then ongoing lead controversy in the instant noodles, the Uttarakhand Food and Drug Administration flagged the concerns and urged Dixit to respond. Similarly, IPL team owner Preity Zinta and Amitabh Bachchan were dragged to court too.
Shah Rukh Khan
Trouble is not new for the King Khan of Bollywood. Causing uproar for endorsing a ‘fairness cream’, the consumer court upheld a Rs 15 lakh fine on Emami for its product, Fair and Handsome. The complainant claimed that the cream failed to make him fairer in three weeks, the advertised time frame of the product endorsed by Khan.
Kangana Ranaut
The BJP MP came under fire for her deal with the leading denim brand, Levi’s. Her series of advertisements was labelled “revealing” and “obscene” by the public. They were, however, taken down and were not streamed.
Ranveer Singh
Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone’s husband and the potential Don of Bollywood, featured in a contraceptive brand commercial. He not only received backlash but was condemned for suggestive exposure.