After raids on hotels and canteens of government establishments, the Tukaram Mundhe-led Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now issued show-cause notices to Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff for their participation as brand endorsers in an advertisement for Vimal Elaichi.
The FDA says that the campaign could be a surrogate or indirect promotion of prohibited pan masala/tobacco-related products.
The show-cause notice gives them a period of 15 days from the date of receipt to submit a written explanation. The FDA warned that if no explanation is received, or if it is found to be unsatisfactory, further action may be initiated under applicable law.
The notice, dated August 11, 2026, has been issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSS Act), 2006, and related regulations.
In the notice, the FDA pointed out that the Vimal brand is “prominently associated with Pan Masala in the market” and said that pan masala products are prohibited in Maharashtra.
According to the notice, the advertisement was available on YouTube and disseminated through television, digital media, social media and other promotional platforms.
The FDA said the use of the “Vimal” brand in an Elaichi (cardamom) advertisement could create an association with the Vimal Pan Masala brand, which is a prohibited product.
{{/usCountry}}The FDA said the use of the “Vimal” brand in an Elaichi (cardamom) advertisement could create an association with the Vimal Pan Masala brand, which is a prohibited product.
{{/usCountry}}The notice points to Section 24 of the FSS Act, which restricts misleading advertisements, and Section 53, under which a person who publishes or is party to the publication of a misleading food advertisement can face a penalty of up to Rs. 10 lakh.
The FDA has directed the actors to immediately discontinue their participation in the advertisement, remove promotional content from their official social media handles and other platforms, and provide details of the due diligence undertaken before endorsing the product.
The FDA also asked the actors to submit agreements, campaign briefs and other relevant documents and explain whether Vimal Elaichi is an independent product or a surrogate communication for Vimal Pan Masala/tobacco-related products.