The Rajasthan Kota Consumer Court has issued a notice to Bollywood actor Salman Khan in tie with a consumer complaint concerning the allegedly disingenuous advertisements for a pan masala brand. The complaint was filed by Inder Mohan Singh Honey, a prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and a lawyer at the Rajasthan High Court. He accused the actor along with the producer of Rajshree Pan Masala of deceiving the public through false advertisements.
According to the complaint, the advertisements promote the product as containing “saffron-infused cardamom” and “saffron-infused pan masala.” The petitioner claimed that these assertions are impractical as saffron costs approximately ₹4 lakh per kg, hence it is impossible for a product sold at ₹5 to contain it. He also made a point that such promotions might attract the youth to use pan masala which is associated with severe health problems like mouth cancer.
After reviewing the complaint, the Kota Consumer Court issued notices to both Salman Khan and the manufacturing company, asking them to submit formal responses. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 27. Reports suggest that Salman Khan has appeared in advertisements for Rajshree Elaichi, a mouth freshener produced by the same company, but not for its pan masala product.
The discussions about the duty of celebrities in product endorsements have been triggered by this case. It is a well-known fact that followers are strongly influenced by their public idols, and thus through their promotions consumer habits can be directed. Nevertheless, it is still quite important to let the legal process take its course in order to determine if the ads were indeed deceptive. In such issues, it is a matter of balancing the creative freedom, the business interests, and the social responsibility that has to be done.
