'A Star Spreads Light, Not Darkness': Inside Tukaram Mundhe's Latest Warning To Bollywood

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Last Updated:September 25, 2026, 10:27 IST

Sharing a Murmu clip on stars and public health, food commissioner Tukaram Mundhe posted 'Influence is not immunity', reviving scrutiny of Bollywood endorsements.

Maharashtra’s food safety chief Tukaram Mundhe has a fresh message for celebrities who endorse food products: “Influence is not immunity." The post, shared on X, comes weeks after his department sent show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their Vimal Elaichi advertisement.

In the post, Mundhe wrote that artists “must respect the law and recognise the responsibility that comes with endorsing products, behaviours and habits that shape public choices," adding that when celebrities promote food items, “public health cannot be an afterthought."

He noted that Maharashtra has “already issued notices to artists for endorsements that raise concerns in the larger public interest," and closed with a line that’s now doing the rounds online: “No one is above the law, and no commercial interest can take precedence over public health."

What Triggered This Post?

The remarks follow notices issued on August 11 to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff, accusing their Vimal Elaichi campaign of amounting to surrogate advertising for Vimal Pan Masala, a product banned in the state.

The actors were given 15 days to respond and told to stop appearing in the ad. Mundhe’s office has also flagged Bollywood advertisements in the past for indirectly promoting restricted products, part of a pattern where celebrity endorsements are increasingly being treated as a public health matter rather than just a marketing choice.

According to reports, two of the three have since replied, while one missed the deadline. The matter has also reached court — the Delhi High Court has already dismissed a plea by PB Agro LLP, the brand’s master licensee, seeking to quash the notices, ruling that it lacked territorial jurisdiction.

Along with the post, Mundhe shared a 35-second clip of President Droupadi Murmu urging film stars not to endorse harmful products, in which she says actors have “immense potential to influence the nation, particularly its youth," and that “a star is one that spreads light, not darkness."

Is This Bigger Than One Advertisement?

The Vimal Elaichi notices are only the latest move in a far wider crackdown Mundhe has run since taking over as food commissioner in May. Per the BBC, his department has carried out over 3,100 inspections by the end of July — a figure he expects has since crossed 4,000 — suspended around 300 licences, issued more than 1,000 improvement notices, and received over 16,000 complaints on a new public portal in its first three months.

“These actions are taken in public health interest. We will continue to take them against violations," Mundhe was quoted by BBC.

Why Has This Made Him A Target Too?

The aggression has drawn its own backlash. Restaurant bodies accuse Mundhe of bypassing due process, and courts have occasionally agreed — in August, the Bombay High Court ordered his department to pay Rs 5 lakh in compensation to a sweets shop whose licence stayed suspended even after a reinspection found it 98% compliant, remarking that the regulator’s intent was “laudable" but that it had “gone overboard."

Mundhe has maintained that his raids are lawful and suspensions are reserved for extreme cases.

For now, though, his “influence is not immunity" line is being read as a signal that Bollywood’s biggest names aren’t exempt from a crackdown that has already reshaped how Maharashtra’s food businesses — and now its celebrity endorsers — operate.

About the Author

Sumedha Kirti

Sumedha Kirti is a Chief Sub Editor with over eight years of experience — both at the desk and reporting. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Miranda House. Kirti has previously worked with news...Read More

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