Food Safety Probe Targets Vimal Cardamom Commercial Featuring Top Actors

A food‑safety investigation in Maharashtra has zeroed in on a television spot for Vimal Cardamom that features Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff. The Maharashtra FDA alleges that, while the ad promotes cardamom, it subtly advertises Vimal’s paan masala, a product currently under a state‑wide embargo.

The agency dispatched show‑cause notices to the three stars – Ajay Devgn at his Juhu home, Shah Rukh Khan at his Bandra residence, and Tiger Shroff through his production firm – demanding clarification of their role in the campaign. Under Section 24 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, any advertisement that could mislead the public about a food item is prohibited, and Section 53 empowers the regulator to levy fines up to ten lakh rupees.

The ban on paan masala, ordered by the Maharashtra Food Safety Commissioner on 13 July 2026, covers manufacturing, storage, transport, distribution and sale for a twelve‑month period. The notice is part of intensified monitoring of banned products, including gutkha, nicotine‑infused paan and other illegal food items, as well as a crackdown on adulterated dairy and unhealthy snacks being sold near schools.