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Actor John Abraham wasn’t able to contain his disdain for colleagues in the film industry who endorse paan masala and gutka. This has been a long-running debate among fans of certain movie stars, who appear in advertisements endorsing the addictive items, with some of them even distancing themselves from paan masala brands after public pressure. Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, and Shah Rukh Khan are among the most high-profile stars to have participated in covert advertisements for paan masala and gutka brands.
Appearing on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast, John said that he has no patience for actors who promote health and fitness on the one hand, and endorse paan masala on the other. He said that he would never want to ‘sell death’ himself. He said that he wants to be a ‘role model’ to his fans, and that they will smell insincerity on him if he doesn’t practice what he preaches. “If I live my life with honesty, and if I practice what I preach, then I’m a role model. But if I’m presenting a fake version of myself in the public and behaving like a different person behind their back, they’ll spot it,” he said.
He continued, “People talk about fitness, and the same people endorse paan masala. I love all my actor friends and I’m not disrespecting any of them. I want to make it clear that I’m talking about myself. But I will not sell death, because it’s a matter of principle. Do you know that the yearly turnover for the paan masala industry is Rs 45,000 crore? Which means that even the government is supporting it, and that’s why it isn’t illegal.”
He said that he has made the ‘choice’ to not support these companies, and that the excuses others make – these products are often sold as mouth fresheners – are irrelevant to him. “You’re selling death. How can you live with it?” he asked. John made it clear that he isn’t trying to disparage any of his actor colleagues, but is merely speaking about his own beliefs.
In the past, actors Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar have come under fire for promoting paan masala and gutka brands. Akshay had announced that he wouldn’t participate in such promotions, and clarified that an advertisement that aired after this announcement was filmed prior to the end of his contract. “These ads were shot on 13th October, 2021. I have not had anything to do with the brand ever since I publicly announced the discontinuation of the endorsement. They can legally run the already shot ads till the end of next month,” he wrote on X.
After receiving backlash for appearing in one such ad with Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay had posted on X in 2022, “I am sorry. I would like to apologise to you, all my fans and well-wishers. Your reaction over the past few days has deeply affected me. While I have not and will not endorse tobacco, I respect the outpouring of your feelings in light of my association with Vimal Elaichi. With all humility, I step back.”
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