Tukaram Mundhe says celebrity endorsers share responsibility under FSSAI advertising rules.
FDA notices give Shah Rukh Khan and others 15 days to respond.
Pan masala surrogate advertising could attract penalties of up to ₹10 lakh.
Tukaram Mundhe has clarified why the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their alleged involvement in surrogate advertising for a pan masala brand. The FDA commissioner said the action was based on existing regulations rather than an attempt to single out Bollywood celebrities.
Tukaram Mundhe explains FDA action
Speaking to Prakhar Gupta on his YouTube channel, Mundhe said responsibility under the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, extends to both advertisers and promoters. He stressed that anything endorsed must comply with food safety rules and cannot be misleading.
The commissioner also explained that the product at the centre of the controversy is prohibited in Maharashtra, although it may be manufactured outside the state. According to him, this does not permit its promotion in Maharashtra through another product associated with the same brand.
The FDA’s notice alleges that the Vimal Elaichi campaign amounts to indirect or surrogate promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco-related products. The three actors have been asked to respond within 15 days and have been directed to remove promotional material from platforms under their control.
Celebrity endorsers face responsibility
Mundhe said manufacturers and sellers are already facing enforcement action, while celebrity endorsers represent another link in the chain. Under the regulations, endorsers can face penalties of up to ₹10 lakh and may be required to withdraw advertisements.
The actors have also been asked to provide endorsement agreements, campaign briefs, product details, payment arrangements and information about the advertising agency and brand owner.
Shah Rukh Khan had previously argued that products considered harmful should be banned rather than leaving actors responsible for promoting them. Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan have withdrawn from pan masala endorsements in the past.
The notices have now put the spotlight on how much responsibility celebrities carry when endorsing controversial products.
