Shah Rukh Khan sidesteps fan’s Pan Masala gesture request amid ongoing ad backlash

The moment unfolded in the backdrop of a broader advertising controversy involving Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff, who have featured in several pan masala campaigns.

By  Storyboard18| Dec 4, 2025 9:27 AM
(Image source: TED Blog)

Shah Rukh Khan has once again found himself at the centre of heated online discussion after a resurfaced video from a private event went viral. The actor, who has recently faced criticism following the extravagant Udaipur wedding of billionaire Raju Mantena’s daughter where global stars performed on stage, is now back in the spotlight as social media debates both celebrity participation in high-profile events and the wider culture of paid performances.

In the circulating video, Khan is seen standing beside a woman at an event who appears to be more than an ordinary fan, as she asks him to recreate a gesture from a well-known pan masala advertisement. The actor responded with humour, remarking that such a request might get him banned, and attempted to deflect the moment with his trademark wit. He teased that once someone works with pan masala brands, people do not let them forget it, and added that the product was banned and should not be referenced at weddings. When the woman persisted, he quipped whether she was his fan or the brand’s.

Khan then continued the light-hearted exchange, jesting that he only performs the gesture for a fee and that she should tell her father as much, firmly refusing to replicate the action on stage.

The moment unfolded in the backdrop of a broader advertising controversy involving Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff, who have featured in several pan masala campaigns. The actors were recently issued legal notices alleging misleading promotion of the product. The notices claimed the ads falsely suggested that the pan masala brand contained premium ingredients such as saffron, whose actual cost would far exceed that of a single packet. The advertisement was described as deceptive and targeted at younger consumers, prompting renewed scrutiny of celebrity endorsements in the category.

First Published onDec 4, 2025 9:40 AM

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