Celebrity Endorsements Under Scrutiny
President Murmu Urges Film Celebrities To Avoid Endangering Public Health Through Endorsements
Anonymous
Key Points
1
The Maharashtra FDA issued the show-cause notices on August 11, asking Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff to explain why regulatory action should not be taken over their participation in the Vimal Elaichi campaign.
2
PB Agro LLP, identified as Vimal Elaichi’s master licensee, was the party that approached the Delhi High Court to challenge the FDA notices; the court dismissed its plea.
3
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the actors’ celebrity status would not protect them from regulatory action and that all three would have to face the proceedings.
4
Murmu said the quality of films being produced across India had strengthened her confidence that the country’s cinema would establish “world-class benchmarks for quality,” and she wished the industry a “golden future.”
President Droupadi Murmu urged Bollywood stars to stop endorsing harmful products at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Gujarat on September 22, citing their outsized influence on children and young people. Her comments directly addressed a brewing controversy: the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration had issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff in August for promoting Vimal Elaichi, a pan masala brand allegedly using surrogate advertising to skirt bans on tobacco products. Hindustan Times reported that Murmu said a "true star spreads light, not darkness."
The legal battle intensified when the Delhi High Court dismissed a challenge by Vimal Elaichi's master licensee, PB Agro LLP, on September 14. Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe made clear that celebrity status offers no protection from regulatory action, telling the actors they would face full proceedings. The Telegraph noted that Murmu also called for women on every National Film Awards jury and better support for struggling workers and assistants in the film industry.
Three Stars Face Regulatory Action Over Pan Masala Ads
On August 11, the Maharashtra FDA issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff over their involvement in the Vimal Elaichi campaign. Regulators argued the brand was using surrogate advertising—marketing a legal product with identical branding and celebrity faces to promote a banned pan masala. ABP Live reported that the actors were asked to explain why action should not be taken against them.
Pan masala has been prohibited in Maharashtra due to public health concerns. The brand's master licensee, PB Agro LLP, initially fought back by filing a petition in the Delhi High Court on September 7. But Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma ruled the Delhi court lacked jurisdiction over the case, determining that Maharashtra was the proper forum. The court dismissed the petition on September 14, clearing the path for state regulators to proceed.
Celebrity Status Won't Shield Actors From Legal Proceedings
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe delivered a blunt message on September 18: the actors are "violators of law" and will face the full weight of regulatory scrutiny. Bollywood Hungama noted Mundhe's statement that celebrity status provides no exemption from accountability. All three actors must now respond to the FDA's show-cause notices and participate in formal proceedings.
The case sets a major precedent. If regulators win, other A-list stars endorsing surrogate brands could face similar notices. Legal experts say the ruling empowers state FDAs across India to go after celebrity endorsers directly without fear of high courts blocking them. The financial and reputational risks for Bollywood's top names are now substantially higher.
Murmu Calls for Industry Reform Beyond Product Endorsements
President Murmu used the National Film Awards stage to push for sweeping changes. She demanded that women be represented on every National Film Awards jury and called for dignified support and social security for lower-tier workers, assistants, and struggling professionals across the film industry. Hindustan Times reported her words: "popular artistes, particularly those followed by children and young people, have an important influence on society."
Murmu also praised India's film quality, saying it had strengthened her belief that Indian cinema would achieve "world-class benchmarks." Her dual message—condemning harmful endorsements while advocating for worker protections and gender diversity—signals potential upcoming policy shifts in how the government regulates and supports the industry. The ceremony honored 92 awardees, with Anant Nag receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Kartik Aaryan, Mammootty, and Yami Gautam winning top acting honors.
Sentiment
Mostly PositiveNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
27
Articles
25
Reach
52
A
AnonymousAuthor
