John Abraham, known for his rigorous health and fitness routine, recently criticised actors who endorse 'paan masala' brands during a podcast with Ranveer Allahabadia. He compared such endorsements to promoting harmful products that can cause health problems.
The ‘Vedaa’ actor emphasised his commitment to being a role model by living honestly and practising what he preaches, stating, “If I’m genuine and live by my principles, I’m a role model. But if I present a false image, people will see through it.”
John Abraham further commented, “People promote fitness but also endorse paan masala. I respect all my actor friends, but I want to clarify that I’m speaking for myself. I refuse to promote something harmful; it’s a matter of principle. The paan masala industry’s annual turnover is ₹45,000 crore, which indicates government support and explains why it’s not illegal. You’re essentially selling death. How can you live with that?” This follows criticism of Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Akshay Kumar for appearing in paan masala ads, with Akshay recently announcing he would no longer participate in such promotions.
