- Unsatisfactory responses could lead to further legal action.
Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has turned his attention to celebrity endorsements after a series of enforcement drives against food safety violations across the state. The FDA has issued show-cause notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their advertisements for brands that have been alleged to resemble or promote tobacco, pan masala and gutkha products.
The notices, dated August 11, 2026, were issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations. The actors have been given 15 days from the date they receive the notices to submit written explanations.
The FDA has warned that failure to respond, or an explanation that is found to be unsatisfactory, could result in further action under the applicable law.
Mundhe Questions Endorsements
Mundhe, who has been leading enforcement drives against milk adulteration, unhygienic hotel conditions and adulterated paneer, criticised celebrities who endorse products associated with pan masala and gutkha.
Speaking on an NDTV programme, the FDA commissioner questioned whether celebrities who promote such products should themselves be willing to consume them.
“I am very bothered by duplicitous people. I do not like flattery at all. I do not like duplicity and double-talk. And there is no reason to like it, because I do not like such a character in the first place. If you are not honest about what you do, what you say and how you behave, then it means that you are not a real person. You are some other person… You show one face here and another face there…”
Mundhe also questioned the logic behind promoting products to consumers without personally standing by them.
“If what you are advertising is really good, then start with yourself first. The person advertising should try the product himself. Why are you telling people to imitate him? Start with yourself. If you are advertising paan-gutkha, first try it yourself, then feed it to your children and get them used to it too…”, said Mundhe.
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FDA Gives 15 Days
The show-cause notices require the three actors to respond in writing within 15 days of receiving them.
The regulatory action comes under provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act and associated regulations. The notices allow the actors to explain their position before any further action is considered.
The FDA has indicated that an inadequate response, or no response within the stipulated period, could lead to action under the relevant legal provisions.
The notices concern advertisements for products that Mundhe has linked to the broader issue of tobacco and pan masala promotion.
“It Is Completely Illegal”
Mundhe also questioned advertisements that highlight ingredients such as saffron while promoting products associated with pan masala.
“You say it has saffron in it. So you should want to eat it too, right? Then definitely eat it! First tell your own family to eat it and only then tell the rest of the country… It is not only unethical to advertise in such a way that violates the rules, but it is also completely illegal…”, said Mundhe.
Actors’ Responsibility Questioned
The FDA commissioner also rejected the position that celebrities appearing in advertisements should not be held responsible because they are simply hired as the public face of a campaign.
He referred to the argument: “I am a commercial person, I am an actor, I am an actress, I am somebody, therefore, I am advertising it. It is not my responsibility. It is only the producer’s responsibility.”
“That is not the case,” Mundhe said.
According to Mundhe, celebrity endorsement involves more than simply appearing in front of a camera for a brand. He argued that public figures should also understand what they are encouraging consumers to purchase or consume.
Legal Responsibility In Focus
Mundhe said the issue was not limited to questions of personal morality or ethics and also involved legal obligations.
He pointed to restrictions on misleading claims concerning food and drugs, arguing that companies and those involved in promoting such products cannot treat advertising responsibility as belonging solely to the manufacturer or producer.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
