MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked three leading Bollywood actors — Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff — to desist from appearing in advertisements for a Vimal-branded cardamom product, saying the promotions may amount to surrogate advertising for a pan masala mix that is effectively prohibited.
Regulatory action amid a wider food-safety drive
The move comes as Tukaram Mundhe, the state's new food safety chief, has stepped up enforcement against unhygienic outlets and questionable food products in Maharashtra. The FDA's notice to the actors, made public over the weekend, said the Vimal brand is largely associated with a banned betel nut mix sold in small low-cost packs and that use of the brand identity in legal products may perpetuate recognition of the prohibited item.
- The FDA has asked the three actors to remove the advertisements from their social media accounts.
- They have been asked not to cooperate with any further broadcast of the ads.
- The notice demands details of the endorsement agreements with the manufacturer within 15 days.
“Such use of the brand name and identity may have the effect of promoting, reinforcing or maintaining consumer recognition of the prohibited” product, the FDA said.
Context: what is surrogate advertising and why it matters
Surrogate advertising is a technique whereby companies use the same brand name, logo or imagery on a legally permitted product — such as cardamom or club soda — to maintain visibility for a primary product that cannot be advertised directly. In this instance, the FDA said the Vimal cardamom promotion appears to serve that proxy function for a pan masala mix, which public health experts link to serious oral health problems.
The notice refers to the widespread perception that Vimal is synonymous with a prohibited pan masala product sold in small low-priced packets. Health professionals have warned that pan masala, particularly when mixed with tobacco, is associated with oral submucous fibrosis and may progress to oral cancer; the FDA highlighted such concerns while flagging the advertising practise.
Enforcement so far and immediate demands
Under the instruction, the actors must provide the FDA with copies of their endorsement contracts and explain the rationale for the advertisements within a fortnight. The agency has also directed the actors to halt further use of the advertisements on their platforms and in any broadcast media.
| Action required | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Remove advertisements from social media | Immediate |
| Cease cooperation with further broadcasts | Immediate |
| Submit details of endorsement agreements | 15 days |
Representatives for Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff had not responded to requests for comment, and the owners of the Vimal brand, Vishnu & Company Trademarks, were also not immediately available for comment, the report said.
Wider implications for celebrity endorsements
The development underlines the legal and reputational risks celebrities face when endorsing products linked — even indirectly — to items that are restricted for public-health reasons. With the Maharashtra FDA already taking visible action against food outlets for hygiene lapses and unsafe products, the directive signals a broader regulatory scrutiny of marketing practices that may circumvent advertising restrictions.
Industry observers say surrogate advertising has been a long-standing tactic in sectors where direct promotion is curbed by law. The FDA's current approach seeks to limit that practice where it may encourage consumption of harmful goods, especially those associated with tobacco and oral disease.
As the deadline for response approaches, the sequence of compliance or legal follow-up by the Maharashtra FDA will be watched closely by advertisers, celebrity managers and public-health advocates alike.
