Vimal Elaichi ad row explained: Why Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff got FDA notices?

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.

Why has the Maharashtra FDA questioned the Vimal Elaichi ad? 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.

What is Vimal Elaichi and why is its branding relevant? 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 reportedly 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.