Bollywood Bigwigs Face FDA Heat Over 'Vimal Elaichi' Ad Amid Pan Masala Crackdown

In a major move, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has slapped show-cause notice on top Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff. The reason? Their advertisement for 'Vimal Elaichi' is under close watch for possibly being 'surrogate advertising' for banned pan masala. The notices, sent on August 11, 2026, demand a written explanation from the stars within 15 days, asking them to stop endorsing the product and remove all related promotional content. This isn't a new fight. Maharashtra has banned gutkha and pan masala with tobacco since 2012, and a fresh Prohibition Order was issued on July 13, 2026, by the state's Food Safety Commissioner, Tukaram Mundhe. The FDA believes the 'Vimal Elaichi' ad uses the same brand identity as Vimal Pan Masala, tricking consumers and indirectly pushing a banned product. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, misleading ads can lead to heavy penalties, and rules from bodies like the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and Advertisement Standards Council of India (ASCI) require celebrities to do their homework before endorsing products. The FDA wants the actors to provide detailed copies of their contracts, campaign plans, and proof that they checked everything properly before signing up. If their explanation isn't satisfactory, they could face legal action, including fines of up to ₹10 lakh and a ban from advertising for some time. This ongoing crackdown shows how serious regulators are about stopping indirect ads for harmful products, putting the spotlight firmly on celebrity responsibility in India's booming advertising world.