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29 March 2024

Bollywood stands accused: Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai in trouble

Published
By Bindu Rai

From the Maggi mess that started out this month to biopics that have yet to go to the floors, June will see some of Bollywood’s biggest stars feel the thunder of India’s legal system.

The Bachchans to Salman Khan, and strangely Sunny Deol, several of Bollywood’s top names stand accused for misleading the public.

We take a look at the charges:  

Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Mahesh Babu

Controversy’s poster child, Salman Khan, is at the centre of the this storm, along with fellow actors Akshay Kumar and South’s Mahesh Babu.

Over the years, the trio has endorsed a popular aerated drink in India, which has now come under fire by the Madhya Pradesh Food Department for not meeting safety standards set forth by the government.

It so turns out, a sample of the cola drink failed the misbranding lab tests in Bhopal, whereby a company is required by law to mention the ingredients of a product. However, the tests allegedly indicated some additional flavouring had been added that may allow consumers to ‘taste the thunder’ without actually knowing what they are consuming.

The government in turn has slapped notices on the starry brand ambassadors, along with the company in question, its distributors and the sellers, to reply within a week.

Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan

According to media reports, the famous father-son duo are in the dock for insulting India’s flag.

Both Amitabh and Abhishek, who’ve belted out quite a few patriotic Bollywood numbers in their time, have upset a certain Chetan Dhiman from Ghaziabad who has alleged the actors were seen covering their bodies with the tri-colour flag, thus insulting the nation.

The complaint states the incident happened during the February 15 India-Pakistan World Cup cricket match.

Dhiman’s lawyer Sanjeev Sharma has been quoted as saying the senior Bachchan the and his son downgraded India's reputation, citing India’s ‘The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971’, and the ‘Flag Code of India, 2002’, adding both should be summoned before the court to face trial.

Perhaps Dhiman failed to take notice of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s use of the tri-colour scarf around his neck during the International Day of Yoga public event, which was also used to wipe the sweat off his brow.

Does that constitute as the same, we wonder.

Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta

Before his son was roped in for a tag team legal tussle, Amitabh Bachchan had company with the likes of Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta following the Maggi brouhaha that has halted the sales of one of India’s most beloved snack.

Following the discovery of lead and MSG in Maggi two-minute instant noodles, the Indian Health Ministry is aggressively taking up issues and complaints related to Food Safety Standards of various products in the market.

Maggi has been found guilty under the Food Safety Act 2006, following which, makers Nestle and its brand ambassadors have been snapped with notices by a Bihar court.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

If her husband and father-in-law are in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, then why should Aishwarya Rai Bachchan be left behind?

Turns out, a legal notice has been allegedly sent to the ‘Jazbaa’ actress, along with filmmaker Omung Kumar for being part of the soon-to-be made biopic film on Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh’s life who died in a Pakistan prison last year.

Rai Bachchan is supposed to play the role of Singh’s sister Dalbir Kaur in the film.

However, Baljinder Singh, who also claims to be Singh’s sister has now sent a legal notice over the film.

Baljinder quoted by Indian newspaper Times of India as saying: “I am not against a movie on the life of my brother, he died for this country. All I want is that his real story be shown to people and not what is being portrayed.”

Sarabjit Singh had been accused of espionage and terrorism was sentenced to death by a Pakistani court. In May last year, he died of cardiac arrest in a Lahore hospital after being comatose for nearly a week following a brutal assault by other inmates in the jail.

Sunny Deol

Yes, Bollywood actor Sunny Deol is still very much around and ready for his comeback.

However, ‘Mohalla Assi’s’ trailer alone has landed the actor in a legal soup after a police complaint was reportedly filed against him and film director Chandra Prakash Dwivedi.

The charge you ask? It seems the duo has been accused of using vulgar language and expletives in the movie.

A certain Sarvajan Jagruti Sanstha has  alleged the film’s dialogues violate moral ethics and  shows the city of Varanasi in a negative manner.