The buzz around Vimal Elaichi ad row explained: Why Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff got FDA notices? refuses to die down. From social media chatter to box office projections, everyone in the industry seems to have an opinion — and the latest update only strengthens the conversation.

The Story So Far

Add as a preferred source on Google An advertisement for Vimal Elaichi featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff has triggered a regulatory debate in Maharashtra, with the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) questioning whether the campaign indirectly promotes pan masala. The notices, issued by Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, relate to a 2024 advertisement in which the three actors promoted Vimal Elaichi.

The product is marketed as a cardamom-based mouth freshener, but the FDA has raised concerns over its branding and its association with the wider Vimal pan masala brand. At the centre of the issue is the concept of surrogate advertising, where a brand promotes a legal product or service in a manner that could also reinforce consumer recognition of a restricted or prohibited product carrying the same or a closely associated brand identity.

According to the nine-page show-cause notice accessed by NDTV, the FDA believes that the use of the “VIMAL Elaichi” branding could create an association with Vimal Pan Masala. The notice states that the advertisement “may mislead consumers” and could indirectly promote the identity of a product that is prohibited in Maharashtra.

The authority has therefore questioned whether the campaign should be treated simply as an advertisement for elaichi or as a form of indirect promotion for pan masala. The FDA has directed Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff to discontinue their participation in the campaign and remove related promotional material from their official social media accounts.

The actors have also been asked to explain their position. Vimal Elaichi is marketed as a mouth freshener containing cardamom and other ingredients. The controversy does not appear to centre on the legality of consuming elaichi itself.

Instead, the FDA's concern is about the Vimal brand identity and whether promoting an associated product can also keep the pan masala brand visible to consumers. This distinction is important because an advertisement can promote a product that is legal on its own while potentially reinforcing the recognition of another product that is subject to restrictions.

The FDA notice as per reports states that if the use of the Vimal name is intended to “maintain, reinforce or enhance” the brand identity associated with pan masala or tobacco-related products, the communication could potentially be considered surrogate promotion. Surrogate advertising refers to the practice of promoting one product under circumstances where the advertising may also serve to promote a restricted product from the same brand family.

The concern is particularly relevant to tobacco and pan masala brands because direct advertising of tobacco products is restricted under Indian law. Section 5 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 prohibits advertisements of cigarettes and other tobacco products, including indirect forms of advertising.

The FDA's notice has raised the ques…

As the story continues to develop, TeraMovies will keep you updated with every new detail. Until then, this remains one of the most closely watched entertainment stories of the week — and the conversation is only getting started.