<p>For Malayalam actor Mammootty, this could be court-room drama of a different kind. The superstar is set to make a formal submission in court against charges made by a man in Wayanad district on grounds that a fairness soap endorsed by the actor through commercials did not make him fairer.<br /><br /></p>.<p>K Chaathu, a 68-year-old man from Mananthavady taluk in Wayanad district, has filed a case in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum against Indulekha, the company that manufactures Indulekha White Soap, and the actor, a brand ambassador of the product. <br /><br />The court had summoned Mammootty and a company representative on Tuesday but Mammootty’s lawyer sought more time for the actor to respond to the charges since he had not received the summons notice.<br /><br />Chaathu who calls himself a farmer with “some political affiliations” maintained that there was no going back on the charges. <br /><br />“I used the product for close to a year but there was no fairness as promised in the commercials. This case is also an effort to bring in checks on celebrity endorsement of such products,” Chaathu told Deccan Herald. He had filed the case earlier this month and sought compensation of Rs 50,000 and other reimbursements.<br /><br />Antony A J, who represents Mammootty in the case, said a copy of the summons was received only on Tuesday and a formal response will be submitted on October 12 when the case will be heard. <br /><br />The lawyer said the argument that the actor “misled” the complainant into the purchase was flawed considering that the actor never made any promise that the soap guarantees fairer complexion.<br /><br />“There is no line in the commercial where Mammootty says that the product makes the user fairer. What he says in the commercials is a generic line – Soundaryam ini ningaleyum thedi varum (Beauty will now come looking for you too),” the lawyer told Deccan Herald.</p>
<p>For Malayalam actor Mammootty, this could be court-room drama of a different kind. The superstar is set to make a formal submission in court against charges made by a man in Wayanad district on grounds that a fairness soap endorsed by the actor through commercials did not make him fairer.<br /><br /></p>.<p>K Chaathu, a 68-year-old man from Mananthavady taluk in Wayanad district, has filed a case in the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum against Indulekha, the company that manufactures Indulekha White Soap, and the actor, a brand ambassador of the product. <br /><br />The court had summoned Mammootty and a company representative on Tuesday but Mammootty’s lawyer sought more time for the actor to respond to the charges since he had not received the summons notice.<br /><br />Chaathu who calls himself a farmer with “some political affiliations” maintained that there was no going back on the charges. <br /><br />“I used the product for close to a year but there was no fairness as promised in the commercials. This case is also an effort to bring in checks on celebrity endorsement of such products,” Chaathu told Deccan Herald. He had filed the case earlier this month and sought compensation of Rs 50,000 and other reimbursements.<br /><br />Antony A J, who represents Mammootty in the case, said a copy of the summons was received only on Tuesday and a formal response will be submitted on October 12 when the case will be heard. <br /><br />The lawyer said the argument that the actor “misled” the complainant into the purchase was flawed considering that the actor never made any promise that the soap guarantees fairer complexion.<br /><br />“There is no line in the commercial where Mammootty says that the product makes the user fairer. What he says in the commercials is a generic line – Soundaryam ini ningaleyum thedi varum (Beauty will now come looking for you too),” the lawyer told Deccan Herald.</p>
