&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Maharashtra FDA issues notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff over Vimal Elaichi ad")
Mumbai: Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff have come under the scanner of the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over their association with a Vimal Elaichi advertisement.
The state regulator has issued show-cause notices to the three actors, alleging that the campaign could amount to indirect or surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala, a product prohibited in Maharashtra.
The notices were issued on August 11 by Maharashtra FDA Commissioner and Food Safety Chief Tukaram Mundhe. According to the notice, the use of the “VIMAL Elaichi” branding in the advertisement appears to create an association with the Vimal Pan Masala brand and could potentially mislead consumers.
The three actors had appeared together in a Vimal Elaichi campaign in 2024. While the advertisement promotes elaichi or cardamom, the FDA has questioned whether the use of the Vimal brand is intended to maintain or strengthen consumer recall of the pan masala brand.
The nine-page notice reportedly describes the advertisement as prima facie misleading and potentially contrary to provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations. The FDA has asked the actors to explain their involvement and provide documents relating to the campaign.
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Among the documents sought are copies of endorsement agreements, campaign briefs, product information, payment and endorsement arrangements, details of the advertising agency and brand owner, and evidence of due diligence conducted by the actors or their agencies before participating in the campaign.
FDA orders actors to stop campaign
The Maharashtra FDA has directed Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff to immediately discontinue their participation in the Vimal Pan Masala/Elaichi advertisement.
They have also been asked to remove related promotional material from their official social media accounts, websites and other digital platforms under their control. The actors have been told not to provide any further assistance in broadcasting, publishing or promoting the campaign.
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The actors have 15 days from receipt of the notices to submit their written explanations. The FDA has warned that if no response is received within the stipulated period, or if the explanations are found unsatisfactory, further action could be initiated without another notice. They can also seek a personal hearing, either personally or through an authorised representative.
Maharashtra's wider crackdown
The action against the Bollywood stars comes amid an intensified Maharashtra FDA crackdown on prohibited tobacco and pan masala products.
The FDA's latest action is also linked to a state-wide prohibition order issued on July 13 under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act. The order covers specified tobacco, nicotine and areca-nut-based prohibited food products and remains in force for one year.
Maharashtra has maintained a prohibition on the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of specified products including gutkha and pan masala. In June 2026, the state FDA also authorised officers to invoke the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against major illegal tobacco suppliers.
The latest notices therefore mark a significant expansion of the crackdown, with the regulator examining not only the manufacture and sale of prohibited products but also advertising practices that it believes could indirectly promote them.
The notices have also been forwarded to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) for information and appropriate action.
The actors have not been found guilty of any violation at this stage. Their responses to the FDA notices will determine what further regulatory action, if any, follows.
