Bollywood Titans Shah Rukh Khan & Deepika Padukone Entangled in Legal Battle Over Allegedly Faulty Car Endorsement

Bollywood's beloved superstars, Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, find themselves at the center of a brewing legal storm. An FIR (First Information Report) has been lodged against the two actors, alongside Hyundai Motors India and its chairman, in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, following allegations that they endorsed a car model with critical defects.

The controversy stems from a complaint filed by a local resident, Shweta Agrawal, who claims her Hyundai Creta, a popular SUV model, suffered a catastrophic airbag failure during an accident.

According to Agrawal, on December 1, 2022, her vehicle met with an accident, but to her dismay and alarm, the airbags, designed to provide crucial protection, failed to deploy. This alleged malfunction resulted in significant injuries and considerable financial losses, prompting her to seek legal recourse.

The FIR, registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust), not only targets Hyundai Motors India for allegedly manufacturing and selling a defective product but also names Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.

The complaint asserts that the actors, through their prominent and influential endorsements, misled consumers into purchasing a vehicle that, in her experience, proved to be unsafe and unreliable. The chairman of Hyundai Motors India is also implicated, highlighting the breadth of the legal challenge facing the company.

This incident throws a spotlight on the often-debated responsibility of celebrities in product endorsements.

With their immense reach and persuasive power, public figures are often seen as implicit guarantors of the products they promote. This case could set a significant precedent, reminding celebrities and brands alike of the serious implications when product reliability falls short of consumer expectations.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the case promises to be a keenly watched affair, not just for the celebrities involved, but for the wider consumer protection landscape in India.