JAIPUR, March 8 – A consumer disputes redressal forum in Jaipur has issued notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff over their endorsement of Vimal Pan Masala. The chairman of JB Industries, which manufactures Vimal Gutkha, has also been asked to respond.
The forum has summoned them to appear on March 19 following a complaint alleging that the advertisement is misleading. The ad promotes the product with the tagline “Dane dane mein hai kesar ka dum” (Each grain has the strength of saffron), suggesting the presence of saffron in the pan masala.
Petitioner Yogendra Singh Badiyal, a Jaipur resident, claimed that the advertisement falsely implies the inclusion of saffron, despite its high cost—estimated at ₹4 lakh per kg—while a pouch of the pan masala with tobacco is sold for just ₹5. “At such a price, even the fragrance of saffron cannot be added,” the complaint stated, according to The Times of India.
The petitioner further alleged that the ad encourages the consumption of pan masala and tobacco, benefiting the manufacturer while putting public health at risk. “The actors are misleading people by endorsing the claim that every grain contains saffron,” the complaint added.
Consumer forum chairperson Gyarsilal Meena and member Hemlata Agarwal issued the notices after reviewing the petition. The case is set for a hearing on March 19.