# Sunny Deol’s old pan masala ad resurfaces amid his denial 2026-08-19T12:39:16+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A video of actor and BJP MP Sunny Deol endorsing a pan masala brand alongside Ravi Kishan has resurfaced on social media, sparking questions about his recent statement that he has never done and will never do such ads. In the clip, the two actors are seen promoting the product in a commercial that appears to be several years old. Deol, in a podcast interview that went viral, had said: "I don't do pan masala ads and I will never do them. I wouldn't do any of those things." The old advertisement contradicts that claim, leading to criticism online, with many questioning his 'conscience' and credibility. Neither Deol nor the BJP has commented on the resurfaced video so far. The controversy comes amid a wider debate over celebrities endorsing tobacco-related products in India, where such ads are banned under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The old ad puts Sunny Deol in the same category as several other Bollywood stars who have faced scrutiny for endorsing pan masala or gutka brands despite public health warnings. Under COTPA 2003, direct and indirect advertising of tobacco products is prohibited, but pan masala, which often contains tobacco, has historically been marketed as a mouth freshener, creating a regulatory grey area. Many states have imposed their own bans. The controversy also highlights the gap between public statements and past commercial choices, which can become politically damaging for an elected representative. Watch for whether the BJP or Deol issues a clarification, and whether the Advertising Standards Council of India takes any suo motu notice of the old ad's re-circulation. ## Coverage - ndtv.com Leads with the resurfaced video and public outrage rather than the policy or legal context. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: BJP, Pan masala, Ravi Kishan, Sunny Deol Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/sunny-deols-old-pan-masala-ad-resurfaces-amid-his-denial/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/sunny-deols-old-pan-masala-ad-resurfaces-amid-his-denial/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/