The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has issued show cause notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their association with a Vimal Elaichi advertisement. The notices were reportedly issued on August 14, seeking an explanation regarding their involvement in the campaign.
The action is part of the Maharashtra FDA’s ongoing crackdown on the promotion and sale of tobacco and pan masala products across the state. Officials are examining whether the advertisement amounts to indirect or surrogate promotion of a pan masala brand.
According to the regulator, the campaign may raise concerns under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, along with its amended rules. The authorities are reviewing whether the advertisement complies with the applicable legal provisions.
The notices reportedly ask the three actors to explain the nature of their association with the advertisement and the Vimal brand. The FDA has also directed that the promotional content be stopped and related posts removed within the specified period.
The latest development has once again brought celebrity endorsements of pan masala-linked brands into public discussion. Advertisements promoting products such as elaichi are now facing increased scrutiny when they are connected to brands associated with prohibited products.
Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn have appeared in Vimal advertisements for several years, while Tiger Shroff joined the latest campaign. It remains to be seen how the actors respond to the notices and what action follows after the regulator reviews their replies.
