Story perspectives

Maharashtra FDA Issues Surrogate Ads Notices to Bollywood Stars

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 10:43 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff received notices from Maharashtra FDA for alleged surrogate advertising of Vimal Elaichi on August 11 2026.
The FDA said celebrities, not manufacturers, bear legal responsibility and is prosecuting the actor who did not respond.
Two of the actors replied, claiming the manufacturer was responsible for the Vimal Elaichi advertisement.
On September 14 2026, the Delhi High Court dismissed PB Agro LLP’s petition, directing the case to Maharashtra courts.

History

Historical Context

The 1995 Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, which first barred surrogate advertising, was invoked by Maharashtra’s FDA in August 2026 against stars such as Shah Rukh Khan. This follows a broader regulatory push that began with the 2012 analogue-to-digital switch-off in Delhi and Mumbai (31 Oct 2012) and is now being reshaped by the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2023, slated to replace the 1995 law.

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Story summary

Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff received notices from Maharashtra FDA for alleged surrogate advertising of Vimal Elaichi on August 11 2026.
The FDA said celebrities, not manufacturers, bear legal responsibility and is prosecuting the actor who did not respond.
Two of the actors replied, claiming the manufacturer was responsible for the Vimal Elaichi advertisement.
On September 14 2026, the Delhi High Court dismissed PB Agro LLP’s petition, directing the case to Maharashtra courts.

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