Bharat Mata Ki Jai: Big B amid debate over ‘President of Bharat’ reference on G20 invite

Highlights

• Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration has issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over Vimal Elaichi advertisements
• The regulator says the campaigns may indirectly promote a pan masala product associated with the Vimal brand
• The actors have been asked to remove the advertisements from social media and explain their endorsements within 15 days
• India’s pan masala market was estimated at around £3.7 billion last year, based on the reported $5 billion valuation and the August 17, 2026 exchange rate of about $1.356 per £1

Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff have been caught up in Maharashtra’s latest crackdown on surrogate advertising, after the state’s food safety regulator questioned their involvement in Vimal Elaichi campaigns.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked the three actors to explain why action should not be taken against them, arguing that the advertisements for cardamom may help maintain consumer recognition of Vimal’s pan masala products.