Anti-pan masala campaign: SRK, Priyanka and others may lose hefty fees

Will the government too let go tax revenues from these products by banning them?

For decades, Bollywood has portrayed the nobility to stand for a cause that benefits public at large. The heroism comes with a price tag too - it taught us. The real life choices may not be very dissimilar for the industry’s top paid actors either. While, Sunny Leone, the porn-star turned bollywood actor, responded positively weeks after she received a request from the Delhi government to not endorse any pan masala brand, the others, if they wish to follow suit, may have to relinquish crores as endorsement fees that they earn – appearing for pan masala brands currently.

Shah Rukh Khan – one of Bollywood’s top paid actor and brand endorser signed a deal for Rs 20 crore in 2014 to promote Pan Vilas. The choice was obvious given the TVC’s message for its target customers – for men who made it big in life on their own. The deal was said to be the highest endorsement fee charged for a single brand at that point in time by any Bollywood actor. Priyanka Chopra – who endorses Rajnigandha Silver Pearls – charged a premium on her standard rate of Rs 1 crore for the brand, it is learned.

While, celebrities have a standard rate for endorsing a brand depending on their market value and acceptance as a brand ambassador. They tend to charge a premium over their rates to endorse brands which are related to banned or addictive products.

The recent request from the Delhi government to few of the Bollywood actos like Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Sunny Leone, Ajay Devgan and Govinda among others, to stay away from pan masala brands is yet to get positive replies from any one other than Leone. However, while the stars may have to let go crores in endorsement fees. The question that has yet again resurrected: is the government too ready to lose its tax revenues from such products?

India adds 5,700 addicts a day to tobacco, pan masala or related products. And 3,300 people are killed every day due to consumption of such items. While, the proposed GST guidelines intent to impose a sin tax of 40 percent on tobacco and related products, instead of putting a blanket ban. How much of this voluntary efforts by film stars by dissociating themselves from addictive products bears fruit remains to be seen.