Just when Sunny Deol tried to draw a hard line on pan masala and gutka endorsements, the internet pulled out a reminder from his own archive. An old Santoor Meetha Pan Masala commercial featuring the actor has resurfaced online, creating an awkward collision between his present-day stance and a past endorsement that social media users have been quick to flag.
That irony has given the conversation unusual momentum. Deol’s recent remarks sounded morally firm, but the vintage ad has reopened a familiar debate around celebrity responsibility, public memory and whether stars can easily distance themselves from brands they once promoted.
Santoor Meetha Pan Masala Clip Sparks Fresh Backlash
The resurfaced commercial features Sunny Deol endorsing Santoor Meetha Pan Masala, with Ravi Kishan also appearing in the advertisement. The clip began circulating widely soon after Deol made strong remarks about why he refuses to associate himself with such products today.
In his recent public remark, Deol said, “My conscience doesn’t allow me to promote tobacco, pan masala and alcohol.” That line, now being quoted across social media conversations, is precisely what pushed the old advertisement back into circulation.
He also made it clear that no lucrative offer would persuade him to back that category now, which sharpened the contrast once the Santoor Meetha Pan Masala commercial began doing the rounds again. Users quickly pointed to the mismatch between the actor’s current position and his earlier on-screen association with the segment.
This is not the first time an older ad featuring Deol has made an uncomfortable comeback. In 2024, another old pan masala commercial with Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta had also gone viral, fuelling a similar round of criticism over celebrity endorsements tied to the segment.
Why The Debate Is Growing Louder
The timing has made the backlash sharper. Maharashtra’s FDA recently issued notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over advertisements for Vimal Elaichi, amid wider scrutiny around surrogate branding linked to prohibited pan masala products.
That larger industry conversation has turned Deol’s resurfaced ad into more than a one-off viral clip. It now sits inside a broader reckoning over how stars sell image, influence and aspiration, even when those associations later become uncomfortable.
In Deol’s case, the scrutiny is also more intense because he is back in a high-visibility phase of his career. When an actor is once again front and centre in theatres and upcoming promotions, every public statement draws stronger attention, and so do the contradictions that social media can instantly retrieve.
Sunny Deol’S Comeback Run Keeps The Spotlight Fixed On Him
Deol’s renewed visibility helps explain why this old commercial has hit such a nerve now. After Jaat arrived in 2025, his screen presence remained active into 2026 with Border 2, extending the momentum of his current comeback phase rather than reviving it from scratch.
That timeline is important to the present controversy. Jaat came first, Border 2 followed in 2026, and Batwara 1947, previously known as Lahore 1947, is lined up for an August 2026 theatrical release. With one recent release behind him, another 2026 release already in the conversation, and Batwara 1947 still part of his active slate, Deol is operating in a period where audience recall is especially sharp.
His recent credits also include an appearance as himself in The Romantics in 2023 on Netflix. Put together, that mix of nostalgia, comeback momentum and fresh projects has kept him highly visible, which is exactly why even a vintage endorsement can suddenly become part of a much larger conversation.
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