Archive · 17 Aug 2026
Maharashtra FDA chief defends action against celebrities endorsing surrogate ads
In India, there is a special group of food safety officers who make sure the food and things we eat are safe.
They also check that advertisements are honest and do not trick people.
Some famous movie stars appeared in an advertisement for a product called Vimal Elaichi.
The officers thought this advertisement might secretly be promoting pan masala and tobacco, which are not allowed in Maharashtra.
So the officers sent warnings to the actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff.
The head of the food safety office, Mr. Tukaram Mundhe, said everyone who makes, shows, or pays for an advertisement is responsible for following the rules.
He also said people can complain about bad products or ads on a website called complaints.myfda.in.
More than 8,000 complaints have already been fixed in about one month.
The officers are also checking other products and will take action if they find problems.
This helps keep people safe and advertisements honest.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe defended action against celebrities endorsing surrogate products.
The FDA issued a show-cause notice and final warning to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff over a Vimal Elaichi advertisement.
The advertisement was examined as a possible surrogate promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco-related products.
More than 8,000 of over 9,000 complaints received on the complaints.myfda.in portal were resolved in about a month.
Mundhe said everyone across the advertising chain is responsible and regulations apply to all involved parties.
- Who
- Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, and actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff
- What
- The FDA defended action against celebrities for a Vimal Elaichi advertisement seen as surrogate promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco products, and resolved over 8,000 public complaints
- When
- About one month after the complaints portal launched; the advertising regulation has been in force since July 1, 2019
- Where
- Maharashtra, India
- Why
- To enforce FSSAI regulations against misleading claims and surrogate advertisements for prohibited products
- FDA Commissioner
- Tukaram Mundhe
- Celebrities warned
- Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff
- Advertisement in question
- Vimal Elaichi
- Complaints portal
- complaints.myfda.in
- Complaints received
- 9,000+
- Complaints resolved
- 8,000+
- Advertising regulation in force since
- July 1, 2019
- Maharashtra prohibitory order since
- 2012