MUMBAI: Maharashtra authorities have warned Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff to stop appearing in surrogate advertisements for Vimal, citing concerns that the promotions may indirectly market a prohibited pan masala product.
The state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sought explanations from the three actors within 15 days and instructed them to remove the advertisements from their social media platforms.
The notice said the actors were promoting Vimal cardamoms, but the brand is widely associated with a banned betel nut mixture sold as pan masala. Authorities argued that continued use of the brand name and identity could strengthen consumer recognition of the prohibited product.
The actors have also been asked not to participate in future broadcasts of the advertisements and to provide details of their endorsement agreements with the manufacturer.
Representatives of Khan, Devgn and Shroff had not responded to requests for comment, while Vishnu & Company Trademarks, which owns the Vimal brand, also did not comment.
The action comes as Maharashtra intensifies its food safety campaign. The state’s newly appointed food safety chief has taken action against several restaurants and food businesses over hygiene violations, including the closure of four Domino’s outlets and 12 warehouses operated by major grocery companies.
Health experts have long raised concerns over pan masala consumption, particularly products containing or used alongside tobacco, citing links to oral diseases and cancer.
The issue of surrogate advertising has also attracted attention from India’s federal authorities. Existing regulations restrict misleading advertisements, while proposed tougher rules targeting indirect promotion by alcohol and other restricted-product brands have previously faced legal challenges and remain under consideration.
A Vimal cardamom advertisement featuring the three actors has reportedly crossed 106 million views on YouTube, highlighting the reach of such brand promotions.
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