Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff have received show-cause notices from the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over their participation in an advertisement for Vimal Elaichi.
The notices, issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, question whether the campaign could amount to surrogate or indirect promotion of pan masala or tobacco-related products.
The notices, dated August 11, 2026, give the actors 15 days from the date they receive them to submit their explanations.
FDA questions Vimal brand association
According to the FDA notice, the Vimal brand is “prominently associated with Pan Masala in the market”. The regulator also noted that pan masala products are prohibited in Maharashtra.
The FDA said the celebrity endorsement therefore required examination under applicable food safety and related regulations.
The actors have been asked to provide written explanations. The regulator warned that further action could follow if no response is submitted within the stipulated period or if the explanations are considered unsatisfactory.
FDA’s action against food outlets
The notices to the actors come amid a wider enforcement drive by the Maharashtra FDA against food establishments.
The department recently suspended the licence of a Pizza Hut outlet operated by Sapphire Foods in Karad, Satara district, citing alleged violations of food safety and hygiene standards.
During an inspection, officials found that separate ovens and pans were allegedly not being used for preparing vegetarian and non-vegetarian pizzas.
In another inspection at a Sapphire Foods outlet in Akola, the FDA seized 55 kg of frozen paneer, which it classified as misbranded and substandard.
104 chain restaurants inspected
According to the FDA, its special enforcement drive covered 104 chain restaurant establishments across Maharashtra.
The department said:
- 2 establishments were ordered to stop operations
- 95 establishments received improvement notices
- 5 licences were suspended
The action comes as Maharashtra authorities intensify scrutiny of food safety standards and alleged violations across food and restaurant establishments.
