MUMBAI: India’s Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has issued show-cause notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their appearance in an advertisement for Vimal Elaichi, alleging that the campaign indirectly promotes pan masala, which is prohibited in the state.
The FDA has asked the three actors to submit written explanations within 15 days and directed them to discontinue the campaign and remove related promotional material from their social media accounts.
FDA alleges surrogate promotion
According to the notices, the advertisement is presented as a promotion for cardamom, or *elaichi*, but the FDA argues that its presentation, branding and market association effectively promote the Vimal pan masala brand.
The regulator has invoked provisions of India’s Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, relating to misleading food advertisements. The action concerns a Vimal Elaichi campaign featuring the three actors that was released in 2024.
The FDA has warned that failure to provide a satisfactory response within the stipulated period could lead to further legal action without additional notice. The actors have also been given the option of seeking a personal hearing, according to reports.
The notices come as Maharashtra authorities intensify scrutiny of promotions for products linked to prohibited pan masala and other restricted products, putting renewed focus on the role of celebrities in advertising campaigns.
