You may recall that Pierce Brosnan previously landed in hot water over an Indian breath freshener commercial he featured in back in 2016.
Pan Bahar was the company behind the traditional Indian breath freshener, or ‘pan masala’ in Hindi (a mixture of nuts, seeds, herbs and spices), a product which has come under increasing criticism. Some studies have suggested that pan masala may include ingredients that can cause cancer.
It is also associated with an addictive form of tobacco chewing and has been banned in several states as a result. Pan masala is also blamed for red-coloured spit stains in public spaces across India.
You can see the advertisement below:
At the time, the actor released a statement reading that he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the allegations, saying he intended to "rectify this matter" and offering his “sincerest and heartfelt apologies to all whom I have offended.”
Now the former Bond star has reportedly been served a legal notice asking him to explain his appearance in the printed ads, according to The Mirror. If he fails to respond within ten days, the actor could face jail or a fine of 5,000 Indian Rupees.
Health department director S K Arora told the Indian Express: "We have issued the notice to Pierce Brosnan through the company, and also reached out to him via social media platforms.
"If he fails to respond to the notice, he would face punishment of a fine up to Rs 5,000 or two years in prison."
