Maharashtra FDA issues notices to Bollywood actors over pan masala advertisements

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued show-cause notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff regarding their appearances in Vimal Elaichi advertisements. The regulator is investigating whether these commercials constitute the indirect or surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala, a product that is prohibited in Maharashtra.

The actors were given 15 days to respond to the notices, which cite concerns over the use of the brand name, specific product references, and dialogue within the campaign.

During a recent brand event for Acer, actor Akshay Kumar was questioned by a journalist about the controversy and the promotion of ‘Kesar’ by his peers. Kumar, who previously participated in Vimal campaigns before stepping away following public criticism, responded to the query with laughter but declined to provide a verbal comment.