A consumer court in Jhalawar district has issued legal notice to Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan, global beverage giant PepsiCo and its Indian distributor Varun Beverages over an advertisement for Mountain Dew that a consumer claims is “misleading”. All three parties have been directed to file detailed replies within one month.
The case, filed on January 20, 2026, by Advocate Gurucharan Singh before the District Consumer Commission, centers on an advertisement featuring Roshan as the brand ambassador for Mountain Dew. According to the complainant, the ad conveys the message that consuming the drink gives extraordinary vigour and courage, enabling people to perform adventurous feats that would otherwise be impossible such as overcoming fear or achieving exceptional physical performance.
Singh says he was influenced by the advertisement, purchased and consumed the beverage, but experienced no significant effect as implied by the campaign. He argues that the advertisement’s claims about enhanced energy, courage and performance lack scientific evidence, and that both the company and Roshan are jointly misleading consumers. The legal complaint cites Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which defines misleading advertising as providing false information about the quality, nature or benefits of a product.
The Consumer Court found prima facie merit in the complaint and admitted the case. It has issued notices to Roshan, PepsiCo and Varun Beverages, seeking their explanations on whether the claims made in the advertisement are factually and scientifically supportable or whether they are exaggerated depictions intended solely to attract customers.
The matter will proceed once replies are filed within the stipulated timeframe. The court’s review will examine whether the Mountain Dew advertisement represents actual product benefits or crosses the line into consumer deception.
