Maharashtra FDA flags SRK, Devgn, Shroff over Vimal ads

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has completed its investigation into the Vimal Elaichi advertisements featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff. On Friday, FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the probe had found that the three actors violated state rules in the Vimal Pan Masala advertising case.

The next step is adjudication, which the commissioner said will be proposed before the joint commissioner next week.

“The assistant commissioner has completed the investigation and found that they violated the state’s rules,” Mundhe told reporters, according to PTI.

Mundhe added that Ajay Devgn has approached the Bombay High Court in the matter, but the department will continue its proceedings before the joint commissioner.

The development puts three of Hindi cinema’s most recognisable faces back under the regulatory spotlight. While the stars have not been named in any criminal charge here, the FDA’s findings move the matter from a notice to a formal adjudication stage.

Why the Vimal ads are being questioned

Maharashtra bans gutkha and pan masala. Earlier, the FDA had sent notices to the three stars over what it described as surrogate advertising for Vimal Elaichi. The regulator said the campaign was linked to the sale of those prohibited products.

The authority asked the actors to explain their association with the ads, to stop promoting such campaigns, and to share details of the due diligence they had done before signing on.

What adjudication means

Adjudication is a quasi-judicial process in which regulators examine evidence and decide whether rules have been broken. It allows authorities to impose penalties for non-criminal offences without a long court process.

• The FDA’s probe into the three actors is complete.
• The actors were found to have violated state rules, Mundhe said.
• The case moves to the joint commissioner for adjudication next week.
• Devgn has approached the Bombay High Court, but FDA proceedings continue.

In practical terms, this gives the regulator a faster route than a full court trial. If the joint commissioner finds the rules were broken, the case could lead to penalties, though the exact penalty would be decided at that stage.

What this means for Bollywood endorsements

For fans, the case is a reminder that a celebrity endorsement is not just a creative decision. In categories such as pan masala, state-level restrictions can turn an ad campaign into a regulatory issue. The next week will show whether the FDA’s findings become formal action against three of Hindi cinema’s biggest names.

Source: The Times of India