Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgan, Arbaaz Khan and Govinda have been urged by the Delhi government to refrain from endorsing pan masala products as they contain a potential cancer causing agent. In addition to that, their wives would soon be involved in the issue.
Upon the Bollywood actors’ failure to respond to the letters, the Delhi health department then mailed their wives requesting them to urge their husbands against endorsing the harmful brand.
“It is a humble appeal to you to encourage Shah Rukh Khan not to participate in advertisements of pan masala in larger public health interest,” read Gauri’s letter, to Dr SK Arora, Additional Health Director
“Earlier, a letter was written to Shah Rukh Khan himself, urging him not to participate in such advertisements in public interest. Nonetheless the Delhi government has not received any response till date nor has he plugged doing such advertisements,” the letter further stated.
Similar letters were written to the wives of the other three actors. They stated that even if pan masalas do not contain tobacco or nicotine, they surely contain areca nuts, supari and now there is scientific evidence to prove that supari causes cancer.
Actor Sunny Leone was also asked to refrain from endorsing tobacco products and pan masala and she was the first one to respond to the letter, claims Dr SK Arora.
According to a foreign media agency, “Two months back we had posted letters to six celebrities who have been endorsing pan masala. We only got a response from Sunny Leone where she said that she did not know that supari causes cancer and that she will not take up fresh contracts for pan masala,”
He further clarified the call for action saying, “Since the other five actors did not respond, we decided to post letters to their wives urging them to ask their husband to not endorse pan masala. It’s a humble appeal to them.”
However, Arbaaz is definitely not pleased by this move. “I don’t understand what kind of persuasion this is. Writing to my wife, my brother or father is not the way to go about it,” the actor was quoted by a foreign media agency.
“I am endorsing the product, not my wife. If the government has an issue with it, they should write to me. I never received any letter from the government in the first place. If they are saying they sent it, maybe it didn’t come to my notice as I have been travelling.
“Had I known this earlier I would have definitely adhered to their request. When I signed the contract with the brand, I was told that the product only has natural ingredients that are not harmful. I have certain commitments and I have been merely following them,” he further said.
“There is no harm in following what the government has asked us to do and when it is time for my contract to be renewed, I will keep this in mind,” Arbaaz added.
The other actors are yet to respond.