Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has strongly defended the show-cause notices sent to Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff over their appearance in a Vimal Elaichi advertisement. Mundhe made it clear that the rules apply to everyone in the advertising chain, and nobody will be given special treatment.
The FDA issued notices to the three actors on August 11, 2026, under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSS Act), 2006. The government body suspects that the advertisement is a surrogate promotion for pan masala and tobacco-related products, which are banned in Maharashtra.
Everyone in the Advertising Chain Is Responsible
Speaking to news agency PTI on August 17, 2026, Tukaram Mundhe said that regulations apply to everyone involved in creating, publishing, or sponsoring advertisements. He stressed that the FDA’s action was based on rules concerning misleading claims and surrogate advertisements.
“Everybody across the chain is responsible. It applies to all.”
Mundhe explained that the advertisement for Vimal Elaichi is being examined as a possible surrogate for a prohibited product. He pointed out that the company had also been found selling gutkha in the past.
The FDA commissioner urged everyone involved in advertising to read the FSSAI regulations on advertisements and claims. He said that any representation that suggests a claim which is not true is not allowed.
What the Notices Say
The show-cause notices were sent to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff for their participation in a 2024 Vimal Elaichi campaign. The FDA says the campaign could be an indirect promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco-related products.
According to the notice, the Vimal brand is “prominently associated with Pan Masala in the market.” The use of the “Vimal” name in an Elaichi advertisement could create an association with Vimal Pan Masala, which is a banned product in Maharashtra.
The actors have been given 15 days to submit a written explanation. They have been directed to:
- Immediately stop participating in or endorsing the advertisement
- Remove all promotional content from their official social media handles and other digital platforms
- Provide details of the due diligence they conducted before agreeing to endorse the product
- Submit copies of endorsement agreements, campaign briefs, payment details, and information about the advertising agency and brand owner
The FDA has also asked the actors to explain whether Vimal Elaichi is an independent product or a brand extension used to promote pan masala or tobacco-related products.
Penalties Under the Law
The notice points to Section 24 of the FSS Act, which restricts misleading advertisements, and Section 53, under which a person who publishes or is party to the publication of a misleading food advertisement can face a penalty of up to Rs. 10 lakh.
Additionally, under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the actors could face a penalty of Rs. 50 lakh and a three-year ban on doing any new brand endorsements.
No One Will Be Spared
Tukaram Mundhe made it clear that the crackdown would not stop at celebrities. He warned that the action could extend far beyond celebrity endorsers.
“Nobody is going to be spared, whether rural or urban. Those who sell, those who possess, those who process, those who manufacture, it is applicable to all.”
Mundhe said the FDA is also examining advertisements for products other than tobacco-related items and will act wherever misleading claims or other violations are found. He added that several products are currently under examination and scrutiny.
The FDA is also lodging FIRs, tracing the origin of products, and investigating links to companies and their directors to tackle the sale of prohibited tobacco products through smuggling and black marketing. The department is also trying to invoke provisions of the organised crime law.
Public Complaints Portal Gets Strong Response
Mundhe also shared updates on the FDA’s public complaints portal, complaints.myfda.in. He said the portal has received a good response, with complainants able to track the status of their complaints while the department can also monitor their progress.
“9,000 or more complaints have been received on the portal. It’s almost one month now. More than 8,000 complaints are resolved, and almost 700-800 are under process.”
The system has features such as auto-accountability, auto-assignment, and auto-escalation.
Background on the Ban
A prohibitory order has been in place in Maharashtra against gutkha, pan masala, and related tobacco items since 2012. The FDA commissioner noted that the regulation on advertisements and misleading claims came into existence in 2018 and came into force from July 1, 2019.
Mundhe said the advertisement was being examined as a possible surrogate for a prohibited product because the company had also been found selling gutkha in the past.
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Support From Other Celebrities
Actor Mukesh Khanna has spoken in support of the FDA’s action. He backed the show-cause notices sent to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff over their association with the Vimal advertisement. This comes after actor Akshay Kumar had previously apologised and distanced himself from the Vimal brand following public backlash.
The FDA’s action has drawn attention to the issue of surrogate advertising in India, where companies use brand extensions to indirectly promote products that are banned from direct advertising.
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