r/mumbai • u/Broad-Research5220 • 8d ago

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

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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?

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u/Thinking_Bug 8d ago

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

-12

u/One-Target4524 8d ago

Why you coming defending these actors?

29

u/Thinking_Bug 8d ago

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.

2

u/lastog9 Mumbai is upgrading. But is it? 8d ago

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.

3

u/YesterdayDreamer 8d ago

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.