Vidya Balan's Bold Talk About Condom Ad

Actor Kartik Aaryan has refused to endorse paan masala products even though he received lucrative offers. He joins a wider debate around Bollywood stars endorsing such products where figures like Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn have faced criticism for promoting them. 

In an interview Kartik stated he was not tempted by these offers, a stance praised by his co-star Vidya Balan, who humorously noted he preferred endorsing a condom brand over paan masala, to which Kartik replied, “Safety first.” 

This choice contrasts with other actors’ endorsements. For example Akshay Kumar after backlash for promoting a tobacco product apologized and donated his endorsement fees to charity.

However Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn continue with their paan masala associations with Ajay calling it a “personal choice” and saying he was endorsing a less harmful version, elaichi, without directly promoting the harmful elements.