Actor Mukesh Khanna has urged Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff to issue a public apology for endorsing pan masala. In a video posted on social media, Khanna welcomed the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration's action against the actors and took a swipe at the ‘Kesariya Adaab’ gesture featured in the advertisement.
Khanna said the government and FDA had sent notices to the three actors over the campaign and expressed satisfaction that action had eventually been taken. He argued that the actors should acknowledge that the advertisement conveyed the wrong message and now encourage people to avoid consuming such products.
The 68-year-old actor, known for Mahabharat and Shaktimaan, said, “I am glad that the government does take note of what I say, although it is also true that it takes a little time.” He went on to mention issues he had raised previously, including the heavy schoolbags carried by children and his views on Vande Mataram. According to Khanna, those matters too received attention only after a considerable delay.
He then criticised celebrities for endorsing products that can influence young audiences. “For a long time, I have been saying that these great artists think highly of themselves and live good lives, but they are showing people the way to live a wrong life through such advertisements,” he said. Khanna added that he had repeatedly questioned the actors about why they accepted such campaigns when they had numerous other opportunities.
Khanna also dismissed the argument that the actors were advertising cardamom rather than pan masala when the same brand name is involved. “They say they are advertising cardamom, but when the same brand name is used, it becomes a surrogate advertisement,” he said, arguing that it indirectly promotes the same gutka brand that is prohibited in Maharashtra.
He also questioned the delay in regulatory action. “I am surprised that the government officials took action so late. Why did they take so long? Perhaps the government was also earning revenue from it. I could not understand why this was allowed to continue,” he said.
Welcoming the FDA notices, Khanna said the actors had been asked to explain their involvement in the advertisement and to stop the campaign. He went a step further by calling for a public apology.
“I would go further and say that these actors should come forward and publicly apologise, saying that they made the wrong advertisement,” he said. According to Khanna, after sending what he considers to be a harmful message, the actors should now use their influence to discourage people from consuming such products.
What the FDA notice says
The Maharashtra FDA has questioned the manner in which the Vimal brand name, product and dialogue are presented in the advertisement. The regulator believes the campaign could indirectly promote Vimal pan masala through the brand's association with the product.
According to PTI, notices were reportedly sent to Shah Rukh Khan's residence Mannat in Bandra, Ajay Devgn's residence in Juhu and Tiger Shroff Productions LLP. The three have been asked to submit their explanations within 15 days regarding their involvement in the advertisement.
Khanna's earlier criticism
Khanna has previously spoken out against celebrity endorsements of pan masala and similar products. In 2024, he criticised an advertisement featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar.
Speaking to Bollywood Bubble at the time, he questioned the message such endorsements send to the public and criticised the actors for participating in campaigns that use the same branding associated with pan masala.
“Crores of rupees are spent on making these ads. And what are you teaching the people?” he had said, while also rejecting the explanation that the advertisements promoted supari rather than pan masala.
Khanna has also made controversial comments on other issues in recent videos. In an Instagram video, he described people supporting protests over the NEET paper leak as “cockroaches” and said they should be removed. He alleged that the protest was sponsored and intended to destabilise the government rather than support affected students, while warning students that they were being used.
