Legal Trouble for Bollywood Stars? SRK, Ajay Devgn & Tiger Shroff Receive Notice Over Pan Masala Endorsement

Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff have received notices from Jaipur's consumer forum regarding a "deceptive" Vimal Pan Masala advertisement. The ad claims that every grain of the product contains saffron. The complaint challenges this assertion, arguing that with saffron priced at ₹4 lakh per kilogram, it is unlikely to be present in a product sold for just ₹5, thereby misleading consumers.

Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff have been issued notices by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Jaipur-II, summoning them to appear on March 19 over allegations of a  "misleading" advertisement of the Vimal Pan Masala. The chairman of JB Industries (manufacturer of Vimal Gutkha brand) has also been served a notice to appear before the forum for their ad that claims each grain of pan masala contains ‘saffron'.

Jaipur resident Yogendra Singh Badiyal filed a complaint challenging the tagline "Dane dane mein hai kesar ka dum," alleging it misleads consumers. As per a Times of India report, Commission Chairman Gyarsilal Meena and member Hemlata Agarwal issued the order. The complaint accuses JB Industries of using celebrity endorsements to promote nationwide sales of Vimal Pan Masala.

"The three actors, including Shahrukh Khan, Ajay Devgan and Tiger Shroff, advertise it to increase its sales. It is claimed in the advertisement that it contains saffron. However, the truth is that the price of saffron is around 4 lakh rupees per kg and their Pan Masala with Tobacco pouch comes in at Rs 5. In such a situation, forget about adding saffron, even its fragrance cannot be added to it," the petitioner said. 

The complaint claims that the deceptive advertisement persuades more consumers to buy the pan masala and tobacco combination, ultimately profiting the manufacturer. It also alleges that the actors endorse misleading claims by suggesting that each grain of the pan masala contains saffron."The manufacturing company is doing business worth crores of rupees and, on the other hand, the common people are inviting diseases like cancer by consuming the harmful and fatal combo of Pan Masala with tobacco known as gutkha. This mix, known as gutkha, is harmful to health, and the manufacturing company is also aware of this. In such a situation, it is deliberately advertising it by claiming that it contains saffron to mislead the common people. In such a situation, its advertisement should be banned," the petitioner said.