Sunny Deol Pan Masala Ad Resurfaces Amid FDA Notices to Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn
Actor Sunny Deol is at the centre of a social media discussion after an old advertisement featuring him promoting a pan masala brand resurfaced online. The renewed attention comes shortly after Deol reportedly said that he would “never” endorse pan masala or similar products, even if he were offered a substantial amount of money. The old advertisement has now triggered reactions from fans and social media users, who have questioned the apparent contradiction.
The controversy comes at a time when celebrity endorsements of pan masala-linked products are facing increased scrutiny in Maharashtra. The state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over advertisements for Vimal Elaichi. According to the FDA, the advertisements could amount to surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala, despite the advertised product being presented as cardamom.
The Maharashtra FDA has asked the actors to explain their involvement in the promotional campaign. Reports state that the celebrities were also directed to remove related promotional material from their social media accounts within 15 days. The action is part of a broader effort by the state authority to examine advertisements that could indirectly promote products associated with banned or harmful substances.
Against this backdrop, Sunny Deol's recent comments have attracted particular attention. An older advertisement featuring the actor alongside actor Ravi Kishan has resurfaced, with social media users sharing clips and images from the campaign. Some users have humorously pointed out the contrast between the old commercial and Deol's recent remarks about refusing such endorsements.
The discussion also highlights the long-running debate surrounding surrogate advertising in India. Such advertising involves promoting a legal product under branding strongly associated with another product that faces advertising restrictions. Pan masala and tobacco-related products have attracted particularly strong scrutiny because of their public-health implications.
The latest FDA action follows earlier legal and regulatory controversies involving celebrity endorsements of pan masala-related products. Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff have previously faced notices from a Jaipur consumer forum over a Vimal advertisement. The issue has therefore continued to attract legal as well as public attention.
For celebrities, the controversy raises questions about the responsibility involved in commercial endorsements, particularly when products have potentially serious health implications. For advertisers, it also highlights the importance of ensuring that campaigns comply with food-safety, advertising and consumer-protection regulations.
Sunny Deol's old commercial resurfacing does not itself establish any current regulatory violation by the actor. However, its timing has made the advertisement a talking point online. As authorities increasingly examine surrogate advertising, celebrity endorsements of pan masala-linked brands are likely to remain under closer public and regulatory scrutiny
