A video is going viral on social media listing the top 10 states in India that consume the most gutkha/pan masala.
According to the video Uttar Pradesh (19.2%), Madhya Pradesh (19.2%), Odisha (23.2%), Arunachal Pradesh (29%) and Nagaland (30 %) are one of the top consumers of gutka/paan masala.
Although the sources in the video are unverified and the data may not be entirely accurate, the problem of tobacco addiction remains serious.
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According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2016–17, around 12.1% of India’s adult population consumes paan masala (with or without tobacco).
People on social media have long debated how actors—especially superstars like Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn—have promoted gutkha for years. Even during IPL, pan masala ads play on repeat during nearly every commercial break.
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Recently, a row broke out on social media: if gutkha consumption is already so widespread, is it fair to blame actors for promoting it? or is it just an anti-Bollywood scam?
What right do people with the addiction have to call out stars who are simply endorsing a product?
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The answer lies in one word: mass appeal. Whether or not it’s fair to hold actors accountable, it’s undeniable that they have massive influence. Even if they’re not responsible for those already addicted, they may influence new consumers.
Bollywood sets trends—whether it’s fashion or, in this case, gutkha.
Take Akshay Kumar’s pad awareness ad played before films in theatres. It shaped conversations around menstruation and helped break taboos.
So, blaming stars for promoting gutkha isn’t about moral policing—it’s about recognizing the power they wield.
Getting rid of an addiction isn’t as easy as “just stop buying it.” But actors with mass appeal have a choice: to promote gutkha or to promote pads. Their decisions can shape public behavior—for better or worse.
