Actor Sunny Deol has made it clear that he has no intention of endorsing pan masala or similar products, saying his conscience does not allow him to promote something he does not personally believe in. His comments come amid fresh scrutiny of celebrity endorsements after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their appearances in a Vimal Elaichi advertisement.
Speaking to YouTuber Shubhankar Mishra, Sunny was asked about his approach to brand endorsements and the kinds of products he is willing to promote. The actor said that he has received offers to feature in pan masala advertisements but has consistently turned them down.
“I don’t do pan masala ads and kabhi karunga bhi nahi,” Sunny said, making it clear that he would not change his position in the future. He added that although such offers do come his way, he refuses them because he does not want to endorse something that conflicts with his beliefs.
Explaining his decision, Sunny said he does not want to use his celebrity status to promote products that he does not consider appropriate. “I don’t want to do something which I don’t believe in,” he said, adding that his conscience does not permit him to endorse such products.
The actor’s comments have gained additional attention because they came around the same time as regulatory action against three prominent Bollywood stars. The Maharashtra FDA issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their involvement in advertisements for Vimal Elaichi. The regulator has alleged that the advertisements could amount to surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala, which is prohibited in Maharashtra.
The notices reportedly ask the actors to explain their role in the campaign and address concerns that the advertising indirectly promotes a prohibited pan masala product. The FDA has also sought the removal of related promotional material from social media within a specified period.
The controversy has once again brought the question of celebrity responsibility in advertising into focus. Bollywood stars frequently command enormous influence over consumers, making their association with products particularly valuable to brands. At the same time, endorsements involving tobacco, pan masala and surrogate advertising have repeatedly attracted criticism from health advocates and regulators.
Sunny’s position is that financial incentives should not override personal principles. He suggested that actors are regularly approached with lucrative endorsement opportunities, but that accepting every offer is not necessarily the right choice.
His comments also come at a time when his own career has entered a successful phase. Following the commercial resurgence triggered by Gadar 2, Sunny has continued to take on major projects, including Border 2 and Batwara 1947. He has also been associated with Nitesh Tiwari’s highly anticipated Ramayana, in which he plays Hanuman.
The actor’s refusal to endorse pan masala is not entirely new. Sunny has previously spoken about being selective with brands and has maintained that he would rather turn down an endorsement than promote something that does not align with his values.