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Entertainment
Ten Bollywood Stars Face Backlash Over Pan Masala Endorsements
✍️ News18
🗓 19 Aug 2026, 11:18 AM
👁 4
Ten leading Bollywood actors who promoted pan masala brands have come under public criticism and regulatory scrutiny.
Several high‑profile Bollywood actors have been identified as brand ambassadors for pan masala products, a category linked to health concerns and tobacco‑related regulations. Their advertisements, which feature the celebrities endorsing the flavored chew, have sparked protests from health NGOs and calls for stricter enforcement of advertising norms.
Consumer rights groups argue that the star power behind these campaigns normalises the consumption of pan masala, especially among younger audiences. They have urged the Advertising Standards Council of India to review and curb such endorsements, citing the potential for increased addiction and oral health risks.
In response, some of the actors' representatives have stated that the endorsements were undertaken before the recent tightening of anti‑tobacco laws and that the celebrities are not personally promoting harmful habits. The debate continues as regulators assess whether existing guidelines sufficiently address celebrity‑driven marketing of pan masala.
The controversy highlights the broader tension between the entertainment industry's commercial interests and public health priorities in India, with authorities expected to issue further directives in the coming weeks.
Consumer rights groups argue that the star power behind these campaigns normalises the consumption of pan masala, especially among younger audiences. They have urged the Advertising Standards Council of India to review and curb such endorsements, citing the potential for increased addiction and oral health risks.
In response, some of the actors' representatives have stated that the endorsements were undertaken before the recent tightening of anti‑tobacco laws and that the celebrities are not personally promoting harmful habits. The debate continues as regulators assess whether existing guidelines sufficiently address celebrity‑driven marketing of pan masala.
The controversy highlights the broader tension between the entertainment industry's commercial interests and public health priorities in India, with authorities expected to issue further directives in the coming weeks.