The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has issued show-cause notices to three Bollywood actors over a Vimal Elaichi advertisement [1].
The regulatory action highlights the ongoing legal battle against surrogate advertising in India. By promoting a mouth freshener that shares branding with tobacco products, companies may be bypassing laws designed to protect public health.
Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff received the notices from the FDA in Maharashtra [1], [2]. The agency said it is investigating whether the advertisement indirectly promotes tobacco and pan-masala products [1], [2]. Such promotions are prohibited under Indian food-advertising regulations [1], [2].
Surrogate advertising occurs when a company markets a prohibited product by using a legal product with the same brand name. In this case, the FDA said Vimal Elaichi serves as a proxy for the brand's pan-masala and tobacco lines [2].
Authorities are now requiring the three actors [1] to explain why the advertisement should not be deemed a violation of these health codes. The investigation focuses on the visual and thematic links between the elaichi product and the prohibited substances [2].
The Maharashtra FDA has not yet announced specific penalties or deadlines for the responses. The agency said it continues to monitor high-profile endorsements that may mislead consumers regarding the nature of the products being sold [1].
“The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has issued show-cause notices to three Bollywood actors over a Vimal Elaichi advertisement.”
This move signals a tightening of enforcement against surrogate advertising in India. By targeting the celebrity faces of the campaign rather than just the corporation, the FDA is increasing the personal and professional risk for influencers who endorse brands linked to prohibited substances, potentially deterring future collaborations in the pan-masala sector.
