Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna, known for his iconic roles in ‘Shaktiman’ and ‘Mahabharat’, has strongly criticized Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, and Ajay Devgn for endorsing pan masala products. In a recent interview, Khanna urged these actors to refrain from promoting pan masala and gambling apps through what he described as misleading surrogate advertisements.
Speaking to Bollywood Bubble, Khanna didn’t hold back, expressing his frustration with the stars’ choices: “If you ask me, I’d say, inko pakad ke maarna chaahiye (catch them and beat them up). I have told this to them. I have even scolded Akshay Kumar. He is such a health-conscious man otherwise, and he says ‘aadaab’, Ajay Devgn says ‘aadaab’, and now Shah Rukh Khan is going down the same path. Crores of rupees are spent on making these ads. And what are you teaching the people? (They say) we are not selling pan-masala, they say its supari (beetle nut). But they know what they are doing.”
Khanna also discussed the harmful impact of surrogate advertising on the public, particularly the youth, “When you do a Kingfisher ad, it means you are selling Kingfisher beer. Everybody knows it, it is called deceptive ad. Why do they do these ads? Do they not have money? I have told them this, don’t do these things, you have a lot of money. Some actors have retrieved it, Akshay is one of them. If I am not wrong, Amitabh Bachchan has also moved away from it. But, till this date, crores of rupees are spent on making these ads… people are spraying colour on each other, (and saying) Kesariya jabaan (saffron tongue). You are teaching people to consume guthka! Don’t do it!,” he explained.