Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff yet to reply to notice on advertisement: FDA

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has not yet received a response from the three Bollywood actors, including Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn, who were sent a notice over an advertisement, FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a 'Meet the Press' event organised by the Mumbai Press Club, Mundhe said promoting a product was not necessarily wrong, but publicizing it in an improper manner was.

Also read: Cardamom or pan masala? Why Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff face FDA action over Vimal ads


Replying to a question on commercials and surrogate advertising, the IAS officer stated, "Whatever advertisements we see -- whether in newspapers, on television or on social media -- are under our radar. We are watching for violations." Earlier this month, the FDA issued a show-cause notice to actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their advertisement for Vimal Elaichi, claiming it prima facie amounts to "indirect or surrogate" promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco-related products.

Asked about the notice, Mundhe said no reply has been received from them so far.

The use of the expression "Vimal Elaichi" in the advertisement appeared to create an association with the "Vimal Pan Masala" brand and could mislead consumers while indirectly promoting the prohibited product, the FDA said earlier.

The issue was particularly serious because the advertisement used the same brand identity associated with Vimal Pan Masala, the FDA's Greater Mumbai division said in the notice issued on August 11, which described the three actors as brand endorsers, and sought their response within 15 days.

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To another query, Mundhe said the regulator would act against any food business operator (FBO) that did not meet prescribed standards, irrespective of whether the consumers were film-industry workers, labourers or others.

He said citizens could lodge complaints through the FDA's portal, following which officers would reach the location, examine the issue and take action.