YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has questioned Shah Rukh Khan’s endorsement of pan masala, citing the actor’s immense wealth and the harmful nature of the product. An old video of Khan stating ‘Don’t stop my revenue’ has resurfaced, with netizens debating the actor’s choices and the government’s role in regulating such products.
Shah Rukh Khan is back in the headlines, this time over an old video of him saying, ‘Don’t stop my revenue,’ which has resurfaced amid criticism from popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathee. The clip comes as Rathee questions why the Bollywood superstar continues to endorse the pan masala brand Vimal, despite being India’s richest actor with a net worth of Rs 12,400 crore.
Dhruv Rathee questions SRK’s endorsement
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Rathee shared a video with the caption: “My question to Shah Rukh Khan.”In the video, Dhruv Rathee said, “Shah Rukh Khan has now become a billionaire — you heard that right! According to reports, his net worth has reached USD 1.4 billion, which is around Rs 12,400 crore. Do you know how much that is? It’s hard to even imagine.”Elaborating further, he added, “Even if he flies business class every day, stays in hotels charging Rs 10 lakh per night all year round, and buys a private jet — it would still cost him just Rs 400 crore. Isn’t this much money enough? If it is, then what compels you to still promote something as harmful as pan masala?”“The real question is: Do you really need that extra Rs 100–200 crore? Look within yourself and ask honestly — what will you even do with so much wealth? 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?”, he continued
Netizens react to the clip
As soon as the video was shared on social media, netizens reacted to the same. While one user write, ‘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’, another one added, ‘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?’
SRK’s past response to similar criticism
In an old interview with CNN-IBN, SRK had addressed similar criticism regarding his endorsement of a soft drink brand. He was asked, “The Health Minister has specifically named you and others, saying celebrities like you shouldn’t advertise soft drinks because they’re unhealthy and children start drinking them after seeing you.”Responding to the same, King Khan had said, “I would appeal to any authority like that — ban it. Don’t let it sell in our country. If smoking is bad, stop the production of cigarettes. If you think soft drinks are bad, don’t allow them to be made. My logic is — you’re not stopping them because they bring in revenue. You’re not stopping certain products because they’re revenue sources for the government. Then don’t stop my revenue. I’m an actor. I’m supposed to do a job and earn from it. And very clearly, if you think something is wrong, stop it. What’s the problem?”Meanwhile, on the work front, Shah Rukh Khan will next be seen in Siddharth Anand’s King. It will also star Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhihske Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and others in key roles. Go to Source
