Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has issued a pointed reminder to Bollywood celebrities about the responsibility that comes with endorsing products, amid a growing row over advertisements for Vimal Elaichi. The intervention puts the spotlight back on the uneasy relationship between star power and public health.

The Vimal Elaichi Controversy

Vimal Elaichi, a cardamom-based mouth freshener, is sold by a company also associated with pan masala products, and its advertisements fronted by film stars have long drawn criticism from health activists. Critics argue that such endorsements function as surrogate advertising for tobacco-linked products, using the glamour of cinema to normalise consumption among young audiences.

Top Bollywood stars, including Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn, have faced public scrutiny over their association with such brands. Health campaigners have repeatedly questioned how actors who command massive influence, especially among the youth, can lend their faces to products linked to an industry blamed for a serious public health burden.

Why the Reminder Matters

Mundhe’s reminder is significant because it comes from the state’s top food and drug regulator, not merely from activists. It signals that authorities are watching how celebrity endorsements intersect with advertising norms and public health concerns. For celebrities, the message is clear: endorsements are not just commercial transactions, they carry social consequences.

The episode also revives a broader debate about surrogate advertising in India. While direct advertising of tobacco and pan masala is restricted, brands have often used brand extensions, from mouth fresheners to music CDs, to keep their names in front of consumers. Regulators have been tightening the screws on such practices, and Mundhe’s warning suggests celebrities may find themselves increasingly answerable for the brands they choose to represent.

The episode also highlights the enormous soft power that film stars wield in India, where a celebrity face can move markets and shape habits. Public health experts argue that with such influence comes a duty of care, and that stars should apply the same diligence to endorsements that they do to their film scripts. Until then, every new advertisement will be judged not just as a commercial, but as a statement of values.