Mumbai: FDA has issued a formal show-cause notice to Shah Rukh Khan, Tiger Shroff, and Ajay Devgn for their role in the advertisement of the Vimal Elaichi brand, alleging that this is masked to promote Vimal Pan Masala, which is banned in the state for causing oral cancer.The notice states that the ad is in circulation via YouTube and allied media platforms. “In the said advertisement, the expression ‘Vimal Elaichi’ is used in a manner which appears to create an association with the Vimal Pan Masala brand prevalent in Maharashtra, and may thereby mislead consumers and indirectly promote the brand identity of the prohibited product,” the notice reads.India carries a massive burden of oral cancer, accounting for roughly 30% of global cases, largely due to the prevalence of smokeless tobacco. National data registries report over 1,43,000 new cases and nearly 80,000 deaths annually.Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Director of the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer, who has long campaigned against tobacco use and called for tighter regulation, said, “We have tried multiple times to approach these Bollywood actors who have made huge profits out of these products and caused mass addiction. These are youth icons, their actions translate into direct sales. Tobacco companies are not paying them out of charity.”The administration added that Vimal Pan Masala is a product prohibited for manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution, and sale in the state under a Prohibition Order issued by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. According to the notice, the advertisements violate the sections under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as well as advertisement regulations, and COTPA Act with fines up to Rs 10,00,000 for the first offense.They said that using the expression ‘Vimal Elaichi’ creates an association with the prohibited Vimal Pan Masala brand, potentially misleading consumers and serving as an indirect or surrogate promotion of a restricted tobacco-related product.Chaturvedi explained that once addiction kicks in, it is very difficult to turn back even if someone knows about the harms. The actors have been instructed to immediately discontinue their participation, remove the advertisements from their social media and digital platforms, and cease further promotional cooperation.Furthermore, they are required to furnish complete details on due diligence, endorsement contracts, distribution channels, and evidence of whether Vimal Elaichi is available for sale independently. They are also asked to submit a written explanation with supporting documents within 15 days of receiving the notice. “If no explanation is received within the stipulated period, or if the explanation furnished is found to be unsatisfactory, further action may be initiated...,” the notice states.
