Mukesh Khanna criticizes Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, and Shah Rukh Khan for promoting pan masala ads: ‘Inko pakad ke maarna chaahiye’ | Hindi Movie News

Mukesh Khanna, famous for his roles in ‘Shaktimaan’ and ‘Mahabharat’, has strongly criticized Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, and Ajay Devgn for endorsing pan masala and gambling apps through surrogate ads. In a recent interview, Khanna urged these actors to refrain from promoting such products, emphasizing the need for responsibility in their endorsements.
In a recent chat with Bollywood Bubble, Khanna remarked in a light-hearted manner that he would catch them and beat them up,’ Inko pakad ke maarna chaahiye’, he added.He mentioned that he had already told them off and scolded Akshay Kumar. Mukesh acknowledged Akshay Kumar’s reputation for being health-conscious and noted that Shah Rukh Khan has also joined Kumar and Ajay Devgn in endorsing these ads. Khanna pointed out that such ads cost crores of rupees to produce and expressed concern about the implications of their endorsements. He criticized the actors for their role in these promotions, asserting that they are fully aware of what they are doing.

Mukesh further criticized surrogate advertising for being deceptive, using beer ads as an example of how such promotions clearly aim to sell alcohol. He questioned why actors participate in these ads when they are financially secure and urged them to stop. Khanna noted that some actors, like Amitabh Bachchan, have moved away from such endorsements, but significant amounts of money are still spent on these ads. He condemned the practice, arguing that it promotes harmful products like gutkha under misleading pretenses.
He further revealed that he has never accepted offers to endorse cigarettes or pan masala, despite being offered substantial amounts of money. He described such promotions as harmful and emphasized his refusal to participate in them. Khanna urged prominent actors to avoid endorsing these products, as they set an example for the public, who might imitate their actions. He expressed concern that such ads could lead people to follow suit, undermining the actors’ positive influence.
Mukesh also mentioned that online cards gaming ads irritate him and criticized these ads, noting that they feature numerous actors, including Shakti Kapoor and Kapil Sharma, and often highlight the direct transfer of money to bank accounts. Khanna pointed out that it is banned by the government and that such ads, which generate significant revenue for platforms like YouTube, have become a point of pride for new actors and actresses. He condemned this trend for promoting illegal activities.