Jaipur Court Issues Notice To Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, & Tiger Shroff Over ‘Misleading’ Vimal Ad Row

Notices have been dispatched to acclaimed Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff, as well as the chairman of JB Industries by the Jaipur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II. This action comes in response to a complaint regarding a potentially misleading advertisement for Vimal Pan Masala, which purportedly boasts that its product includes saffron in every grain. The involved parties have been summoned to provide clarifications on March 19 concerning these claims.

The complaint, lodged by Jaipur local Yogendra Singh Badiyal, asserts that the advertisement falsely represents the inclusion of saffron in the pan masala. Considering the high value of saffron, priced around Rs 4 lakh per kilogram, juxtaposed with the pan masala's retail price of Rs 5 per pouch, Badiyal argues the claim of containing real saffron is dubious. He emphasizes the disparity in cost between the two, questioning the authenticity of the product's alleged saffron content.

Central to Badiyal’s grievance is the advertisement’s slogan, suggesting that every grain of Vimal Pan Masala possesses the "strength of saffron." This assertion, he claims, is not only false given the significant price gap between saffron and the pan masala but also potentially harmful. The complaint further addresses the health risks linked with pan masala and gutkha consumption, which are known to contain dangerous ingredients, including tobacco. It accuses JB Industries of ignoring these health hazards and leveraging celebrity endorsements to boost product sales misleadingly.

The petition calls for a prohibition on such advertisements to safeguard consumers from being deceived about the product's characteristics and the inherent health risks of pan masala. In light of these allegations, the Jaipur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II, under the leadership of Gyarsilal Meena and member Hemlata Agarwal, has initiated proceedings to investigate the matter thoroughly.

With the actors and the chairman of JB Industries required to respond to the allegations by the established date, the forum anticipates a comprehensive explanation of the advertisement's claims. This case highlights the broader issue of advertising ethics and the responsibility of endorsers in accurately representing product features.

In conclusion, the upcoming proceedings on March 19 will likely shed light on the veracity of the advertisement's claims and the ethical considerations of celebrity-endorsed product promotions. The outcome could set a precedent for how products, especially those with potential health implications, are advertised in the future.