The Kota Consumer Court has sought a formal response from the actor and Rajshree Pan Masala over a complaint alleging their ads misleadingly promote the product as containing saffron, a claim questioned due to the product’s low cost.
November 5, 2025: Bollywood actor Salman Khan has landed in fresh legal trouble after a consumer court in Kota, Rajasthan, issued a notice to him concerning allegedly misleading advertisements for the brand Rajshree, for which he is a brand ambassador.
The complaint was filed by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajasthan High Court advocate Inder Mohan Singh Honey, who is seeking a ban on the advertisements due to their potential to mislead consumers, particularly the youth.
The ‘Saffron’ Ingredient Controversy
The core of the complaint targets the promotional claims made by the company and its brand ambassador, which advertise the product as containing “saffron-infused cardamom” and “saffron-infused pan masala.”
The petitioner argued that these claims cannot be credible given the vast price discrepancy:
Inder Mohan Singh Honey: “Saffron, which costs about ₹4 lakh per kilogram, cannot be an ingredient in a product priced at ₹5. People are being misled.”
The complaint specifically targets the message being sent to young people, stating that such misleading claims encourage the consumption of pan masala, a product widely linked to an increased risk of mouth cancer.
The Responsibility of a Role Model
Advocate Honey stressed the ethical responsibility of a major celebrity like Salman Khan:
Inder Mohan Singh Honey: “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. I urge them not to spread the wrong message to the youth, as pan masala is one of the leading causes of mouth cancer.”
While Salman Khan has primarily appeared in advertisements for Rajshree Elaichi (cardamom mouth freshener), the company also manufactures Rajshree Pan Masala. The complaint argues that the messaging and the surrogate advertising nature of the campaign ultimately promote the consumption of the tobacco-linked product.
Following the filing, the Kota Consumer Court issued formal notices to both the actor and the manufacturing company, seeking their official responses. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for November 27, 2025.