Kellogg’s Special K

In the advertisement for the cereal, an already slim and toned Deepika Padukone embarks on the journey of losing weight in two weeks to look thin for a wedding. She makes her fans believe that eating two bowls of Kellogg’s Special K cornflakes will work for them too since it has worked for her. In April last year, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a watchdog for the advertising industry, upheld consumer complaints against the commercial as “misleading” because of its omission of the specific conditions of the diet plan.

Hanuman Chalisa Yantra

When television stars Ronit Roy and Shivaji Satam (aka ACP Pradyuman from CID) appear on your television screens endorsing a Hanuman-shaped locket that will solve your troubles, it is time to worry. Relying on the logic of a higher power, the commercial has people on the screen talking about how the spiritual power of the locket has saved their lives, healed their bodies, and solved all their problems. It’s almost like…magic. A petition was filed by a Maharashtra resident against airing these misleading advertisements on TV channels.

Power Prash

A product claiming to improve bedroom behaviour hit the streets in 2012. Power Prash, a play on the word chyawanprash, is an Ayurvedic concoction that claims to build immunity and improve sexual performance (both are surely linked). Actress Kashmira Shah lent her star power to the product, but commercials and print advertisements were halted after the Maharashtra government served notices to newspapers and TV channels.

Sandhi Sudha oil

The Food and Drug administration filed 67 complaints against the advertisements of this product being endorsed by actor Govinda. The advertisements for the product, which claimed to wipe out all aches and pains, were eventually withdrawn.

Image for article titled From instant weight loss to magic sex potions, Indian celebrities are making some dubious promises on television

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