The cringe-worthy endorsements of Bollywood stars, from Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan to Priyanka Chopra

Role models can be fallible too – here’s a look at some epic fails by our favorite stars

Published: April 25, 2022 20:41 Nilanjana G. Javed, Editorial Liaison Manager

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Celebrities often endorse brands, but there are times when these engagements have had spectacular fallouts. The most recent of the lot was one by Akshay Kumar, who was called out for promoting tobacco. Since he’s a role model to millions of Bollywood fans globally, it seemed an insensitive move. Here’s a look at other celebrities who were criticized for lending their names to brands that didn’t sit well with their fans. Above: Kriti Sanon (left) and Akshay Kumar(right). Image Credit: Insta/ akshaykumar

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When Ranveer Singh threw a woman over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes for an ad, he caused gawping. Jaws dropped when the tag line of the clothing store came to the fore. The sexist tones did not quite fit with the average wearer. Image Credit: Insta/

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Priyanka Chopra’s badge of shame came when she was associated with a jewellery brand, whose founder was soon after found embroiled in a scam worth millions. At the time Chopra’s spokesperson had been quick to cut the cord. The spokesperson was quoted as saying to ANI “In light of recent allegations, Priyanka Chopra has chosen to terminate her contract with the brand." Image Credit: Insta/priyankachopra

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Madhu Sapre and Milind Soman’s so-called artistic shoot for an apparel and fitness brand in 1995 got more sniggers than claps. The duo posed naked with shoes and pythons for the ad, drawing in a lot of venom as it aired. Above: Milind Soman (left) and Madhu Sapre (Right). Image Credit: Insta/

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Kneading dough without using hands can be very strange in Indian households and a certain brand promising ease of kneading without using hands stirred up trouble when they launched their product. Hema Malini was the celebrity endorser for the brand. Image Credit: Insta/

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In 2014, a certain F&B brand was embroiled in controversy after it was found to contain chemical content much higher than permissible levels for human consumption. Madhuri Dixit, Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta were endorsers of the popular brand and were, therefore, also included in the controversial claims made. Above: Madhuri Dixit (left) and Preity Zinta (right). Image Credit: Insta/

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Yami Gautam was accused of promoting colourism and racism when she promoted a cosmetic brand that promised to make you fairer. She was criticized for advocating that fair is beautiful. Image Credit: Insta/yamigautam

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Superstar Shah Rukh Khan took everyone by surprise when he endorsed a cosmetic brand that promoted fairness among men. But unlike Akshay Kumar – who apologized profusely for hurting fan sentiments, Khan did not back down. "If it is a product that is legal and on the market, I will never question it," Khan responded to the uproar. Image Credit: Insta/iamsrk

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The cringe-worthy endorsements of Bollywood stars, from Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan to Priyanka Chopra

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The cringe-worthy endorsements of Bollywood stars, from Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan to Priyanka Chopra

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