📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Alok Singh Oberoi
Entertainment
ASCI Director Defends Action Against Celebrities Endorsing Surrogate Products
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 18 Aug 2026, 02:48 AM
👁 4
ASCI Director Tukaram Mundhe has defended the regulatory action against celebrities promoting surrogate products, stating that the rules apply uniformly to all.
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has taken a firm stance against celebrities endorsing surrogate products, a move that has drawn attention from the entertainment industry.
In a recent decision, ASCI issued notices to several high‑profile personalities who promoted products marketed as substitutes for traditional goods, such as sugar‑free or low‑calorie alternatives. The notices cited violations of the council’s advertising guidelines, which prohibit misleading claims and require clear disclosure of product nature.
ASCI Director Tukaram Mundhe defended the action, emphasizing that the regulations "apply to all" and are not selective. He stressed that the council’s role is to protect consumers from deceptive advertising, regardless of the endorser’s fame.
The decision is expected to prompt a review of endorsement contracts across Bollywood and other entertainment sectors, ensuring that future campaigns comply with ASCI’s standards.
In a recent decision, ASCI issued notices to several high‑profile personalities who promoted products marketed as substitutes for traditional goods, such as sugar‑free or low‑calorie alternatives. The notices cited violations of the council’s advertising guidelines, which prohibit misleading claims and require clear disclosure of product nature.
ASCI Director Tukaram Mundhe defended the action, emphasizing that the regulations "apply to all" and are not selective. He stressed that the council’s role is to protect consumers from deceptive advertising, regardless of the endorser’s fame.
The decision is expected to prompt a review of endorsement contracts across Bollywood and other entertainment sectors, ensuring that future campaigns comply with ASCI’s standards.