When The Fame Meets The Blame: Should Celebs Be Liable For Their Endorsements?

In October 2023, Indian comedian Kapil Sharma and Bollywood performers Ranbir Kapoor, Huma Qureshi and Hina Khan were said to have been summoned by India’s ED (Enforcement Directorate). Why? Because they had, allegedly, carried out promotional activities for a betting app called Mahadev, which was said to have engaged in illegal activities. Just before that, Indian performer Amitabh Bachchan had a formal complaint lodged against him by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) for a supposed misleading advertisement for Flipkart on smartphones. It was said that Amitabh Bachchan, in Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale ad, had made a claim that deals and discounts on smartphones weren’t available in offline stores and only on Flipkart, for which CAIT had asked the CCPA (Central Consumer Protection Authority) that Bachchan be penalized with a fine of??10 lakh.?

In May 2024, India's Supreme Court stated that celebrities and influencers were equally liable as those who advertise products or services misleadingly. And it was reported that according to the Supreme Court, endorsers are equally responsible for issuing deceptive advertisements.?

So, what's going on?

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