Maharashtra FDA issues notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff over Vimal Elaichi ad

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 an advertisement for Vimal Elaichi, alleging that the campaign indirectly promotes Vimal Pan Masala, a product prohibited in the state.

The notices, issued under the leadership of Maharashtra Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, ask the three actors to explain their participation in the advertisement within 15 days. The FDA has also directed them to discontinue their participation in the campaign and remove promotional content related to the advertisement from their official social media accounts.

The three actors appeared together in a Vimal Elaichi advertisement in 2024. The FDA said its examination of the advertisement raised concerns that the use of the Vimal brand could create an association with the prohibited pan masala product.

“Upon examination of the said advertisement, it prima facie appears that the advertisement promotes the VIMAL brand,” the notice said.

The regulator further said the use of the Vimal name for elaichi “appears to create an association with the VIMAL Pan Masala brand”. It said the advertisement could mislead consumers and indirectly promote a prohibited product.

The FDA has also sought copies of the actors’ endorsement agreements, campaign briefs and details of payments received for the campaign, along with evidence of any due diligence carried out before participating in the advertisement.

The notices refer to Section 24 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which deals with misleading food advertisements. The FDA has also cited Section 53, under which a person who is party to the publication of a misleading food advertisement can face a penalty of up to Rs 10 lakh.

The action comes against the backdrop of Maharashtra’s continuing prohibition on gutka and pan masala containing tobacco or nicotine. A prohibition order issued by the state Food Safety Commissioner on July 13, 2026, under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, remains in force for one year and covers specified tobacco, nicotine and areca-nut-based products.

The FDA said this is also the first time it has begun examining advertisements from the perspective of surrogate promotion. According to the regulator, the presentation of the advertisement, its dialogue, the product name and the wider market context raise a “serious question” over whether it amounts to indirect promotion of a prohibited tobacco-related product.

The actors can seek a personal hearing, either themselves or through authorised representatives. If they fail to respond within 15 days, or if their explanation is found unsatisfactory, the FDA has warned that further action may be taken without another notice. Copies of the notices have also been forwarded to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA).

Maharashtra FDA widens food safety crackdown

The action against the actors comes as the Maharashtra FDA steps up enforcement across the state under its “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra” campaign. The regulator inspected 104 outlets operated by major restaurant chains on August 11, covering Domino’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonald’s, Subway, Burger King, Starbucks and Monginis.

Of the outlets inspected, 95 received improvement notices, two were ordered to stop operations and five had their food-business licences suspended with immediate effect. The inspections were aimed at checking hygiene, food storage, pest control, temperature monitoring and compliance with mandatory food safety requirements.

Separately, six outlets of major fast-food chains have faced regulatory action in recent days. These include one Burger King outlet in Pune, four Domino’s Pizza outlets and one Pizza Hut outlet across Mumbai and Satara. The FDA’s inspections found issues including inadequate pest control, poor food storage, improper temperature monitoring, weak sanitation practices and gaps in mandatory food safety records.