Maharashtra FDA has issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their appearance in Vimal Elaichi advertisements.
The regulator alleges that the campaign may amount to surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala, which is prohibited in Maharashtra.
Highlights
- Maharashtra FDA sends notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff.
– Action relates to their appearance in the Vimal Elaichi advertising campaign. - FDA says the campaign appears to create an association with the Vimal Pan Masala brand.
- Actors have been asked to explain their participation in the advertisements.
- FDA has also sought endorsement agreements, payment details and campaign briefs.
- Misleading endorsements can attract penalties and restrictions under applicable consumer protection laws.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued show-cause notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their appearance in advertisements for Vimal Elaichi.
The action has been taken over concerns that the advertisements may indirectly promote Vimal Pan Masala, a product whose manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale are prohibited in Maharashtra.
According to the report, the FDA said that the presentation of the advertisements, the use of the Vimal brand name and its wider market association appear to create a link between Vimal Elaichi and the pan masala brand.
The notices have been issued under provisions dealing with misleading food advertisements. The three actors have been asked to explain their participation in the campaign and clarify why their endorsements should not be considered an indirect or surrogate promotion of a prohibited product.
The FDA has also sought detailed information related to the endorsement deals. This includes copies of agreements, campaign briefs, payment arrangements and evidence showing that appropriate due diligence was carried out before the celebrities agreed to participate in the advertisements.
The notices were reportedly delivered to Shah Rukh Khan’s residence in Bandra, Ajay Devgn’s residence in Juhu and Tiger Shroff’s production house.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said in the notice that the use of the Vimal name with Elaichi appears, prima facie, to create an association with the Vimal Pan Masala brand. The regulator is examining whether the communication is simply an advertisement for an independent product or serves to maintain and strengthen consumer recall of a prohibited or restricted product.
The report also said that misleading endorsements can attract penalties under consumer protection laws. Depending on the violation, monetary penalties can range from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, while endorsers may also face restrictions on promoting products for a specified period.
Vimal advertisements have faced controversy earlier as well. Actor Akshay Kumar had previously appeared in campaigns alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn but announced his withdrawal from the association in 2022 following public criticism.
The three actors will now have to submit their responses to the Maharashtra FDA regarding their involvement in the Vimal Elaichi campaign.
