Why did Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn & Tiger Shroff get FDA notices over a Vimal Elaichi ad? Here’s the full story 

What is the outcome when three of Bollywood’s leading stars appear in an advertisement for a product that seems as harmless as elaichi? It has led to show-cause notices from the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Tukaram Mundhe-led Maharashtra’s food safety sent a nine-page notice to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff for indirectly promoting pan masala through the ‘Vimal Elaichi’ ad, with the Maharashtra FDA claiming that such advertising may amount to surrogate or indirect advertising of Vimal Pan Masala. The actors have been informed that they have to explain their position within 15 days. 

So, what exactly is the issue? 

Vimal sells elaichi as an independent product, but the brand has also created its association with pan masala fairly well. The FDA has questioned whether advertising a different product with the same branding and actors keeps the prohibited pan masala brand alive in the minds of people.  

As per reports, the regulatory body has directed actors to stop their participation in the advertisement and take down the promotional content from their social media accounts and other platforms. 

Maharashtra is tightening its grip on any goods with tobacco or nicotine and on any advertisements promoting these products too. Vimal Pan Masala is banned in Maharashtra, so it is highly relevant to draw comparisons between the Vimal ad and the pan masala brand. 

This is not the first time indeed that Bollywood celebrities have come under fire for being associated with the same brand. This controversy responsible for creating backlash also reminds us of Akshay Kumar’s connection with Vimal. 

To put it in context, after massive disapproval from people when he participated in a Vimal advertisement campaign with King Khan and Devgn, Kumar retracted his association with the brand and offered substantial apology. The latest FDA notices have therefore reopened the larger debate around celebrity endorsements and responsibility, especially when a product being advertised is perceived to be connected to a controversial or prohibited category. 

For now, the ball is in Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff’s court, as the three stars have been asked to respond to the FDA’s concerns. What they say next could determine how this latest Vimal controversy unfolds.