Salman Khan faces legal heat over ‘misleading’ pan masala ad

The Kota Consumer Court in Rajasthan has served a legal notice on Bollywood superstar Salman Khan over a complaint against his endorsement of a popular pan masala brand, Rajshree, which allegedly amounts to ‘misleading’ consumers.

Legal troubles mount for Salman Khan over pan masala advertisement

The complaint has been filed by a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Rajasthan High Court advocate, Inder Mohan Singh Honey, who is seeking a ban on the advertisements. He alleges that the company and its brand ambassador Salman Khan are falsely promoting the product as containing “saffron-infused cardamom” or “saffron-infused pan masala”.

The bone of contention was that the price of the spice is highly costly. Petitioner Honey contended that the claims were questionable, as there was gross financial illogicality: pure saffron was costing almost Rs 4 lakh per kilogram, while the product in question was being sold at just Rs 5 for a sachet.

Advocate Honey stressed that celebrities have social responsibility. “Salman Khan is a role model for many people. Celebrities or film stars in other countries don’t even promote cold drinks, but they are promoting tobacco and pan masala.” He added that such misleading ads influence young people to consume pan masala, which is closely related to the growing number of cancer cases.

The Kota Consumer Court has taken cognisance of the serious concerns raised. It has issued notices to the actor and manufacturing company, seeking a formal response from them. The matter has been scheduled for hearing on November 27, 2025. As of now, responses from the company and the popular actor are awaited.

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