Kerala HC clears Mohanlal in Manappuram Finance ad case

Entertainment Jan 10, 2026

The Kerala High Court has let actor Mohanlal off the hook in a case where Manappuram Finance was accused of misleading gold loan customers with ads promising 12% interest—ads that featured him as brand ambassador.
The court said Mohanlal can't be held responsible since he wasn't directly involved in any deals.

What this means for celebs and consumers

Justice Ziyad Rahman A A clarified that endorsers are only liable if there's a direct connection to the transaction, which wasn't shown here.
The decision also quashes earlier rulings against Mohanlal and clarifies that celebrities aren't automatically on the line for company actions unless they're directly tied to what went wrong.
If people feel misled by ads, they can still take action under consumer protection laws.