Bollywood stars push pan‑masala via surrogate ads, exploiting regulatory loophole

Moneycontrol reports that several Bollywood personalities are being used in surrogate advertisements for pan‑masala products. These ads skirt direct promotion rules by employing indirect messaging, allowing brands to maintain visibility while technically complying with existing regulations.

The practice exploits a loophole in India’s advertising code, where surrogate ads—those that do not mention the product by name but hint at its use—remain loosely defined. As a result, enforcement agencies find it challenging to categorise such promotions as violations.

Industry observers note that the continued use of celebrity endorsements in this grey area raises concerns about the effectiveness of current advertising standards and may prompt stricter guidelines in the future.