Maharashtra FDA Issues Show-Cause Notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Mumbai has issued formal show-cause notices to actors Shah Rukh Khan, Tiger Shroff, and Ajay Devgn over their appearance in advertisements for the Vimal Elaichi brand. The regulator alleged that the campaign acts as surrogate advertising to promote Vimal Pan Masala, a product banned in Maharashtra due to its links to oral cancer.

According to the FDA notice, the advertisements are circulating across YouTube and allied digital platforms. The regulator stated that the expression "Vimal Elaichi" is used in a manner that creates an association with the prohibited Vimal Pan Masala brand, potentially misleading consumers and indirectly promoting restricted tobacco-related products.

Vimal Pan Masala remains prohibited for manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution, and sale in the state under an order issued by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. The authority noted that the promotional campaign violates provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, advertising regulations, and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), which carries fines of up to Rs 10,00,000 for a first offense.

India accounts for roughly 30% of global oral cancer cases, driven heavily by smokeless tobacco consumption, with national registries recording more than 1,43,000 new cases and nearly 80,000 deaths every year. Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director of the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer, noted that the medical community has repeatedly approached Bollywood actors regarding these endorsements, pointing out that their status as youth icons directly influences consumer behavior and drives sales.

The FDA has directed the three actors to immediately halt their involvement, remove the promotional material from their social media and digital channels, and stop any further promotional cooperation.

Additionally, the actors must furnish complete documentation regarding due diligence, endorsement contracts, distribution channels, and proof of whether Vimal Elaichi is sold as an independent product. They have been granted 15 days to submit a written explanation with supporting records, failing which the regulator warned that further enforcement action may be initiated.