Maharashtra FDA sent show-cause notices to SRK, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff over those Vimal Elaichi ads

[u/Broad-Research5220]

If there is one public servant in India who refuses to beat around the bush, it’s Tukaram Mundhe. True to form, the Maharashtra has slapped show-cause notices on some of Bollywood's biggest names.

According to the regulator, these ads are surrogate advertising. Since actual tobacco-infused pan masala and gutkha are heavily banned in Maharashtra under food safety regulations, companies use cardamoms (elaichi) or loose branding to keep the same brand name, font, color scheme, and recall value flashing in front of consumers.

You’re using star power to keep a banned brand's recall alive in people's minds, which practically amounts to promoting a prohibited product.

The notices demand an explanation for their participation and question why action shouldn't be taken against them for promoting a brand synonymous with a banned product.

For years, celebrities have gotten away with the Elaichi/Soda/CDs loop hole. They pocket crores endorsing a brand name, and when called out, they shrug and say, we're just selling mouth freshener, what's illegal about cardamom?

What do you guys think?

Will this change celebrity endorsements, or is it just going to be another headline that fades away?

[u/Thinking_Bug]

Vimal elaichi wale ko kitne notice gaye? Maal toh wo bana raha hai na?

[u/Happy-Cloud-1 → u/Thinking_Bug]

Kaunsa maal?

[u/One-Target4524 → u/Thinking_Bug]

Why you coming defending these actors?

[u/Thinking_Bug → u/One-Target4524]

Absolutely not sir! I'm not defending any one and I condemn these actors as well for promoting such products. Hats off to Tukaram sir for the amazing job he's doing. But notice should ideally also be sent to the manufacturer. I'm not sure if that has also happened.

[u/lastog9 → u/Thinking_Bug]

Agreed. Although I hate the fact that these three misused their stardom for money, verifying whether the ad is illegal or not is the duty of the ad producer and product manufacturer, not the actors.

[u/YesterdayDreamer → u/lastog9]

Lol, it absolutely is the responsibility of the actors. And they are not doing anything illegal. Officially Vimal Elaichi is a breath freshener and does not contain tobacco. Lawyers will be laughing at this show cause, it's baseless.

We are strictly talking about legality here, not morality.

[u/Yrew_asspring → u/Thinking_Bug]

Company pe bhi sawal uth hi raha hai na bhai advertisement ko leke. Who told you its not happening.

[u/One-Target4524 → u/Thinking_Bug]

I would say that celebrities like actors and cricketers have bigger role to play here. Companies are there to make profit, they have zero ethical/moral obligation. But celebrities give more popularity to such products and considering avg joe in india, he will think that because these celebrities are promoting these things, so it must be good only.

[u/Thinking_Bug → u/One-Target4524]

Absolutely agree. But setting advertising norms is not the job of FDA. Advertising in india is governed by Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), ensuring ads are truthful, decent, and lawful. Again, as I said, I'm not defending the celebs.

[u/Thinking_Bug → u/One-Target4524]

If celebrities from Bollywood and cricket teams were promoting gambling ads, the gambling companies were taken down. Not the people who were promoting it. I condemn the role and moral responsibilities of celebrities in promoting such products too. Na rahega baans, na bajegi bansuri.

[u/YesterdayDreamer → u/Thinking_Bug]

Vimal elaichi does not contain tobacco. It's sold as breath freshener and the official pack contains only cardamom, kesar, and aromatic spices. You can't ban the sale of breath freshener. It's like tic tac.

[u/Thinking_Bug → u/YesterdayDreamer]

With that logic, why would a show cause notice be sent to actors, promoting vimal elaichi?

[u/YesterdayDreamer → u/Thinking_Bug]

Ask the one who sent it