Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff get Maharashtra FDA notice over Vimal Elaichi ad
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued show-cause notices to actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their participation in an advertisement for Vimal Elaichi, alleging that the campaign indirectly promotes pan masala, a prohibited product in the state.
The three actors featured together in a 2024 advertisement for Vimal Elaichi, a cardamom product sold by the Vimal brand, which is also associated with pan masala.
In a nine-page notice issued on August 11, Maharashtra Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe directed the actors to immediately discontinue their participation in the campaign and remove promotional material related to the advertisement from their official social media accounts.
FDA flags 'Vimal' brand association
According to the notice, the advertisement "prima facie" appears to promote the Vimal brand, which the FDA said is mainly associated with pan masala.
The Maharashtra FDA has cited the state's prohibition on the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of pan masala.
Mundhe said the use of the expression "Vimal Elaichi" in the advertisement appears to create an association with the Vimal pan masala brand and could potentially mislead consumers.
The notice said such advertising could amount to "indirect or surrogate promotion" if the campaign is intended to maintain or strengthen the brand identity associated with pan masala or tobacco-related products.
Endorsement details sought
The FDA has also sought copies of the actors' endorsement agreements, campaign briefs and payment arrangements.
The actors have additionally been asked to provide details of the due diligence carried out before participating in the campaign.
The action comes as Mundhe has stepped up enforcement against the manufacture and sale of gutka and other banned tobacco products in Maharashtra.
Penalties under consumer protection law
The notice refers to provisions under consumer protection laws concerning misleading advertisements and endorsements.
Depending on the findings, endorsers can face penalties ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh and may also be prohibited from endorsing products for a specified period, with bans of up to three years possible under the cited provisions.
Akshay Kumar had apologised in 2022
The controversy echoes an earlier episode involving the same brand.
In 2022, actor Akshay Kumar faced widespread criticism after appearing alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn in a Vimal Elaichi advertisement.
Following the backlash, Kumar apologised to fans and said he had never endorsed and would not endorse tobacco products.
SRK, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar featured in a Vimal ad in 2022. Photo: YouTube/screengrab
He also announced that he was stepping away from his association with the brand and pledged to donate his endorsement fee to a worthy cause.
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 20, 2022
The latest FDA action puts the Vimal Elaichi campaign involving Khan, Devgn and Shroff under regulatory scrutiny in Maharashtra.
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