Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff Face Tukaram Mundhe’s FDA Notice Over Vimal Ad, 15 Days To Explain

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Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff have come under the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration's scanner over their association with a Vimal Elaichi advertisement. In a notice issued on August 11, Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe asked the three actors to explain their participation in the campaign and to discontinue their association with it, alleging that the advertisement could indirectly promote Vimal Pan Masala, a product prohibited in Maharashtra. They have been given 15 days to respond.

Why Have Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn And Tiger Shroff Been Issued Notices?

The controversy centres on the distinction between advertising Vimal Elaichi and promoting the wider Vimal brand.

Photo Credit: Instagram@punjabimaniaofficial/69casm/AI-generated

According to the nine-page FDA notice, the advertisement "prima facie" appears to promote the Vimal brand, which the regulator says is mainly associated with pan masala. Since the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of the relevant prohibited pan masala product are restricted in Maharashtra, the FDA is examining whether the Elaichi advertisement could keep the prohibited product's brand identity visible through another product.

The central question is therefore: can advertising a permitted product amount to indirect promotion of a prohibited product when both carry the same brand identity?

TUKHARAM MUNDE VS B-TOWN BIG CATS
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued show-cause notices to actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgan, and Tiger Shroff for advertising Vimal Pan Masala. The FDA has directed them to remove the advertisements from social media within 15 days… pic.twitter.com/03Cmuo8F3e

— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) August 16, 2026

What Has Tukaram Mundhe Asked The Actors To Do?

The notices direct Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff to immediately discontinue their participation in the campaign and remove promotional content related to the advertisement from their official social-media handles. They have been asked to submit their explanations within 15 days of receiving the notices.

The FDA is also seeking information relating to their endorsement arrangements and the advertisement. The actors have an opportunity to explain their position before the regulator decides whether further action is warranted.

Importantly, these are show-cause notices, not findings of guilt. No final penalty has been imposed on the three actors in this proceeding.

What Does Surrogate Advertising Mean In This Case?

Surrogate advertising generally involves promoting a restricted product indirectly by advertising another product under the same or a closely associated brand identity.

That is the issue the Maharashtra FDA is examining here. Vimal Elaichi is presented as a separate product, but the regulator is questioning whether the Vimal name itself creates a strong association with pan masala.

In its notice, the FDA said the use of "Vimal Elaichi" could create an association with the Vimal Pan Masala brand and potentially "maintain, reinforce or enhance" its brand identity and consumer attraction.

So, the regulatory question is not simply whether the advertisement explicitly displays pan masala. It is whether the branding, presentation and consumer association could effectively serve as indirect promotion.

What Laws Are Being Examined?

The FDA has invoked Section 24 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which deals with restrictions on misleading advertisements and claims relating to food products. It has also cited Section 53, under which a person who is a party to the publication of a misleading food advertisement can face a penalty of up to ₹10 lakh.

The notice also refers to the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, which govern advertising and claims made for food products.

Why Is Maharashtra's Pan Masala Prohibition Important?

The FDA's action is closely linked to Maharashtra's restrictions on tobacco- and nicotine-containing products.

The regulator's argument is that if Vimal Pan Masala is prohibited in the state, advertising another Vimal-branded product could potentially undermine that prohibition if the campaign simultaneously strengthens consumer recognition of the restricted brand.

That makes the case bigger than a celebrity endorsement controversy. It raises a broader regulatory question about how far a brand can use a permissible product to maintain visibility for a restricted product.

What Does This Mean For The Three Actors?

For now, Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff have simply been asked to explain their involvement. There has been no final finding against them in the present proceedings.

Their responses will be important in determining what happens next. If the FDA considers their explanations unsatisfactory, further proceedings could follow.

The case also puts the spotlight on celebrity due diligence. A celebrity may endorse what is formally presented as a permissible product, but regulators can still examine whether the endorsement has a wider promotional effect-particularly when the brand is closely associated with a restricted category.

The Vimal Controversy Is Not New

The latest action comes against the backdrop of years of scrutiny surrounding Vimal's celebrity advertising.

Ajay Devgn has been associated with the brand for several years, while Shah Rukh Khan and Tiger Shroff have also appeared in Vimal campaigns. Akshay Kumar was previously part of a Vimal campaign with Khan and Devgn but apologised and announced that he would step away from the association following public criticism in 2022.

However, it is important not to conflate those earlier controversies with the present action. The current proceedings are a fresh Maharashtra FDA show-cause action, specifically examining whether the Vimal Elaichi advertisement amounts to indirect or surrogate promotion of a prohibited pan masala product.

What Happens Next?

The immediate next step is for the three actors to respond to the notices within the stipulated 15-day period. The FDA will then examine their explanations and the material submitted before deciding whether further action is necessary.

The case could ultimately become significant for the wider advertising industry because it tests the boundary between product advertising and brand advertising. If regulators conclude that a seemingly permissible product is being used to promote a restricted one, other celebrity-led campaigns could face closer scrutiny as well.

The Bigger Question Behind The Vimal Ad Row

The Maharashtra FDA's notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff have brought the debate around celebrity endorsements and surrogate advertising back into the spotlight. At the heart of the matter is a deceptively simple question: when does advertising a seemingly legal product cross the line into promoting a restricted one?

For now, the three actors have the opportunity to present their side of the story. The FDA's eventual decision will determine whether this remains a show-cause controversy or develops into a larger regulatory action-and could also influence how celebrities, advertisers and brands approach endorsements involving products with controversial or restricted associations.