• The Daily Hints
• 17 Oct, 2025

§  Dhruv Rathee vs Billionaire Actor Explained

§  YouTuber Dhruv Rathee Slams SRK’s Vimal Endorsement

§  Dhruv Rathee Questions Shah Rukh Khan: Why Pan Masala Ad with ₹12,400 Crore.?

§  SRK’s ‘Don’t Stop My Revenue’ Response to Dhruv Rathee Goes Viral - Full Controversy

YouTuber Dhruv Rathee’s video on SRK: India’s social media erupted into fierce debate after popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathee directly challenged Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan over his continued endorsement of pan masala brands despite being worth a staggering ₹12,400 crore. The question that’s now trending nationwide: When you're already a billionaire, why promote products that harm millions.?

The controversy ignited when Rathee posted a video titled “My question to Shah Rukh Khan” on X (formerly Twitter) on October 15, 2025. Within hours, the video went massively viral, triggering passionate responses from both SRK’s loyal fanbase and those supporting Rathee’s stance on celebrity responsibility.

The Billionaire Question: Is ₹12,400 Crore Not Enough.?

Dhruv Rathee opened his video with startling numbers that put Shah Rukh Khan’s wealth into perspective. “Shah Rukh Khan has now become a billionaire — you heard that right.! According to reports, his net worth has reached $1.4 billion, which is around ₹12,400 crore. Do you know how much money that is.? It's hard to even imagine,” Rathee stated.

Breaking down the mathematics, the YouTuber explained that even at a nominal 7% bank interest rate, this fortune would generate ₹870 crore annually. After deducting approximately 40% in taxes, Shah Rukh would still pocket ₹500 crore per year — without doing anything.

“Even if he flies business class every day, stays in hotels charging ₹10 lakh per night all year round and buys a private jet — it would still cost him just ₹400 crore,” Rathee calculated. The implication was clear: SRK’s passive income alone far exceeds his potential expenses.

The ₹200 Crore Pan Masala Question

Rathee then moved to his central argument, citing news reports from 2014 that suggested Shah Rukh was paid ₹10-20 crore annually for endorsing Vimal Pan Masala back then. Assuming the fee has multiplied tenfold over eleven years — a conservative estimate given inflation and SRK’s skyrocketing stardom — he could now be earning ₹100-200 crore per year from the brand.

“The Real Question is: Do you really need that extra ₹100–200 crore.? Look within yourself and ask honestly — what will you even do with so much wealth.?”

Dhruv Rathee challenged. "Now think from another angle — if the country’s top actor stopped endorsing such harmful products, what kind of impact could that have on the nation.?”

The YouTuber urged his viewers to share the video widely, hoping it would reach Shah Rukh Khan himself. His message resonated with millions who’ve long questioned why Bollywood’s biggest stars lend their faces to products linked to cancer and other serious health conditions.

Shah Rukh’s Explosive “Don’t Stop My Revenue” Defense

As Dhruv Rathee’s video spread like wildfire, Shah Rukh Khan’s fans quickly dug up an old interview where the superstar had addressed similar criticism years ago. The clip, from a CNN-IBN interview has now resurfaced and gone viral, offering SRK’s unapologetic defense of his endorsement choices.

In the video, Shah Rukh makes a powerful counter-argument that shifts responsibility from celebrities to the government. “I will appeal to the Health Minister — ban it. Don’t allow it to be sold in our country. If smoking is bad, don’t allow cigarettes to be produced in this country. If you think cold drinks are bad, then stop their production too... If it's poisoning our people, don’t allow it to be made,” he stated firmly.

The actor then delivered his most quoted line from the interview: “Look, my logic is — you’re not stopping them because they bring in tax revenue. Let’s acknowledge the truth. You’re not banning certain products, even though you think they’re harmful, because they generate revenue for the government. Then don’t stop my revenue either. I’m an actor. My job is to work and earn from it,” Shah Rukh explained.

His argument cuts to the heart of India’s complex relationship with harmful but legal products. “Very clearly, if you think something is wrong, ban it. No problem — just stop it from being made,” he concluded.

The ₹50,000 Crore Pan Masala Industry

Shah Rukh’s defense highlights an uncomfortable truth: India’s pan masala industry is valued at nearly ₹50,000 crore. The government earns substantial tax revenue from this sector, creating a financial incentive to keep these products legal despite their well-documented health risks.

The advertisement regulations in India ban promotion of tobacco products and gutkha (pan masala mixed with tobacco). However, companies have found a loophole by advertising plain “pan masala” and “elaichi” (cardamom) products without tobacco — though consumers often mix them with tobacco bought separately.

This grey area allows celebrities to technically claim they’re endorsing a legal, tobacco-free product, even as critics argue the brand association ultimately promotes the entire harmful product line.

Legal Troubles: The “Saffron in Every Grain” Controversy

Adding fuel to the fire, Shah Rukh Khan, along with Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff, faces legal scrutiny from the Jaipur Consumer Forum over allegedly misleading advertisements. The case centers on Vimal Pan Masala’s tagline: “Daane Daane Mein hai Kesar ka Dum” (Every grain has the strength of saffron).

Consumer rights activist Yogendra Singh Badiyal filed a complaint arguing that the claim is mathematically impossible and deliberately deceptive. His logic is simple yet devastating: saffron costs approximately ₹4 lakh per kilogram, while a Vimal Pan Masala pouch sells for just ₹5. “In such a situation, forget about adding saffron; even its fragrance cannot be added to it,” Badiyal’s complaint stated.

The forum has summoned all three actors to appear and respond to allegations that they’re “spreading false propaganda” to benefit the manufacturer. The complaint further alleges that while the company earns crores through such misleading claims, common people are “inviting diseases like cancer” by consuming these products.

This isn’t the first such legal challenge. In February 2025, similar notices were issued by the Kota Consumer Court. A BJP leader and advocate also filed a petition under Section 89 of the Consumer Protection Act in November 2024.

When Bollywood Icons Face the Ethics Question

Shah Rukh Khan isn’t alone in facing this controversy. The pan masala endorsement debate has ensnared multiple Bollywood A-listers.

·       Akshay Kumar, known for his fitness-focused image, issued a public apology in 2022 after intense backlash for endorsing a pan masala brand. He announced he was stepping down as brand ambassador and pledged to be more selective in future endorsements. The contrast between his “health-conscious” public persona and tobacco-adjacent advertising proved too glaring to ignore.

·       Ajay Devgn continues to endorse Vimal, appearing in the same advertisements that now face legal scrutiny. He’s remained largely silent on the criticism, allowing the controversy to simmer without public comment.

·       Tiger Shroff, the youngest of the trio facing legal notices, represents a newer generation of stars willingly entering this lucrative but ethically problematic space.

·       Even legends like Amitabh Bachchan have previously faced criticism for tobacco-related endorsements, highlighting that this isn’t a new dilemma but an ongoing tension in Indian celebrity culture.

·       Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna (famous for Shaktimaan) went even further, furiously declaring in an interview: “If you ask me, I’d say inko pakad ke maarna chahiye (catch them and beat them up)”. He revealed having personally scolded Akshay Kumar, saying, “He is such a health-conscious man otherwise and he says aadaab. Ajay Devgn says aadaab and now Shah Rukh Khan is doing the same”.

Social Media Explodes: Whose Side Are You On.?

The Dhruv Rathee vs Shah Rukh Khan debate has divided social media into passionate camps.

Supporting Dhruv Rathee’s stance, many users argued that with ₹12,400 crore in wealth, Shah Rukh has no justifiable reason to promote harmful products. “You're right, Dhruv Rathee. Celebrities have social responsibility,” one comment read. Another added: “SRK doesn't need that money. He’s setting a terrible example for millions of young fans”.

·       Some pointed out the cruel irony: “The same fans who worship SRK will consume these products because he promotes them, get cancer and die. Where will the actor be then.?”

·       Defending Shah Rukh Khan, his loyal fanbase made equally compelling arguments. “The question should be to the government — why isn’t pan masala and gutkha banned in this country.? Just because the government earns high tax revenue from it.?” one fan demanded.

·       Many echoed SRK's own logic: “If the product is legal, what’s wrong with promoting it.? Ban the product if it’s harmful, not the actor”.

o   Another supporter wrote: “Shah Rukh Khan once said he would never stop earning money because he has seen days of poverty that he doesn’t want his children to experience, no matter what he has to do”.

·       A pragmatic perspective emerged too: “Pan masala companies made him what he is today. Without their ads in the last 10 years, no watchable movies came from him anyway”. This cheeky observation highlighted how endorsement money has perhaps become more central to some celebrities’ income than their actual films.

The Government’s Convenient Silence

Both Dhruv Rathee and Shah Rukh Khan’s arguments point to the same culprit: government inaction. India has banned gutkha and tobacco advertising, yet pan masala brands thrive through clever rebranding and legal loopholes.

The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) prohibits tobacco advertising but companies simply create separate brands for “cardamom” or “elaichi” products technically free of tobacco. They use the same brand name, same colors, same celebrity faces — creating unmistakable brand association in consumers’ minds.

Why doesn’t the government close this loophole.? Shah Rukh’s old interview suggests the answer: tax revenue. The ₹50,000 crore pan masala industry generates substantial taxes that the government is reluctant to sacrifice.

This creates a perverse situation where everyone profits — manufacturers, celebrities and government coffers — while ordinary consumers bear the health costs.

Read More: “Hand Over Zubeen’s Killers.!” Assam Explodes in Fury: Gunfire, Internet Shutdown as Fans Storm Jail

The Billionaire’s Dilemma: Money vs Morality

Dhruv Rathee’s video frames the controversy as fundamentally about priorities and values. When someone has accumulated wealth beyond imagination — enough that passive interest income exceeds lavish spending — why continue earning from harmful products.?​

The YouTuber’s question touches on broader debates about wealth inequality, celebrity influence and social responsibility. In a country where millions struggle with poverty and healthcare access, seeing a billionaire promote cancer-linked products for “extra” hundreds of crores feels particularly tone-deaf to critics.

Yet Shah Rukh’s defenders argue that capitalism doesn’t impose moral obligations on earnings. An actor’s job is to act and earn, they contend. If society deems certain products harmful enough to ban, that’s the legislature’s responsibility — not individual celebrities’.

No Response Yet from King Khan

As of October 17, 2025, Shah Rukh Khan has not issued any new statement responding to Dhruv Rathee’s video. The superstar is currently busy shooting his upcoming film King, directed by Sujoy Ghosh and co-starring his daughter Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Arshad Warsi.

His silence might be strategic. Responding could amplify the controversy, while staying quiet allows it to potentially fade from the news cycle. Moreover, his old interview already articulates his position clearly: if the government wants to stop such endorsements, ban the products themselves.

Yet the questions Dhruv Rathee raised aren’t likely to disappear soon. With legal troubles mounting, public criticism intensifying and a new generation questioning celebrity ethics more vocally than ever before, the pan masala controversy represents a watershed moment.

Conclusion: Who Wins This Debate.?

The Dhruv Rathee vs Shah Rukh Khan controversy exposes fundamental tensions in modern India. It’s about wealth and responsibility, legality versus morality, individual freedom versus collective wellbeing and the role of celebrities in shaping public behavior.

·       Dhruv Rathee asks: When you have more money than you could spend in multiple lifetimes, isn’t it time to consider your legacy beyond wealth.? What kind of India are you helping create.?

·       Shah Rukh Khan’s defense argues: Why single out actors when the government itself profits from these products.? Change the system, don’t blame individuals operating within it.

Perhaps both are right. Perhaps the real answer lies in comprehensive action: government must close loopholes and ban harmful products decisively, while celebrities with ₹12,400 crore net worths must ask themselves whether that extra ₹200 crore is truly worth the social cost.

As this debate rages on social media, millions of Indians continue consuming pan masala — influenced by the smiling faces of their favorite stars, unaware that those same stars earn in minutes what most Indians won't see in lifetimes, all while potentially shortening consumer lifespans.

The question ultimately becomes personal: What price tag would you put on your conscience.?

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