Katrik Aaryan who has won hearts with his charming performance in the Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, has also managed to awe the public with his persona lately. The Pati Patni Aur Woh actor has recently turned down a pan masala brand endorsement, which is reportedly worth Rs 9 crores.
According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, Kartik Aaryan has resolutely said no to a tempting offer to endorse Paan Masala. When the outlet checked this news with a prominent ad guru, he confirmed it saying, “That’s right. That boy Kartik Aaryan has said no to around Rs. 8-9 crore offer to endorse paan masala. Kartik seems to have principles, a rare commodity in today’s actors who suffer from the gift of the ‘grab’. Saying no to such big money is not easy. But Kartik is conscious of his responsibility as a youth icon.”
Former chairperson of the censor board and producer Pahlaj Nihalani also lauds Kartik Aayan’s decision not to endorse harmful products. “Paan masala is killing people. Being encouraged to take gutka and paan masala by Bollywood role models is definitely damaging to the nation’s health.”
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At a time when senior superstars, Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar who should know better, are brazenly selling cancer (a.k.a gutka, paan masala) to the nation, Kartik Aaryan has resolutely said no to the tempting offer.
Pahlaj also revealed that the broadcasting of alcohol and paan masala ads is illegal and unconstitutional. “Law forbids the CBFC from granting certification to paan masala and alcohol ads. Therefore, the ads for these products being broadcast are illegal. Actors who are part of such ads should know they’re participating in an illegal activity.”
A few months back, Akshay Kumar hit the headlines after facing controversy for promoting a pan masala company. The actor apologised to his fans on Twitter, stating he would be more cautious about the products he endorsed in the future.
This is not the first time a celebrity has been caught up in a situation like this.
In October 2021, on his 79th birthday, Amitabh Bachchan backed out of an endorsement arrangement with a renowned pan masala brand after receiving flak on social media.
The Bollywood superstar, who appeared in a commercial for this brand’s “silver-coated cardamom seeds” alongside actor Ranveer Singh, stated that he was unaware that the commercial was surrogate advertising while it was being shot. He also gave back the money he was paid for the endorsement.
In 2016, Pierce Brosnan, the former James Bond actor, appeared in a surrogate advertisement for another pan masala maker. He alleged that the firm deceived him by failing to disclose the dangers of its product. The firm, on the other hand, clarified that the mouth freshener Brosnan promoted was not to be confused with chewing tobacco.
