📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / AshishSinghPatil
Health
Tukaram Mundhe slams Bollywood stars for paan‑masala ads, warns children may consume them
✍️ theweek.in
🗓 01 Oct 2026, 04:38 PM
👁 12
Veteran activist Tukaram Mundhe has publicly condemned Bollywood actors for promoting paan‑masala, saying the ads could encourage children to use the product.
Veteran activist Tukaram Mundhe took to public platforms to denounce recent television and digital advertisements featuring Bollywood celebrities endorsing paan‑masala. He argued that the glamorous portrayal of the chewable tobacco product could mislead young viewers into trying it, despite known health risks associated with areca nut and nicotine.
Mundhe highlighted that paan‑masala consumption among minors has risen in recent years, and that celebrity endorsements lend the product an unwarranted legitimacy. He urged regulatory bodies to enforce stricter guidelines on tobacco‑related advertising and called for immediate removal of the offending ads.
The activist’s statements have sparked a debate on the responsibility of film personalities in influencing public health. While some industry representatives defended the ads as a matter of personal choice, health officials have reiterated the need for protective measures to curb youth exposure to such products.
No official response from the actors or their agencies has been recorded as of now, and the matter is expected to be reviewed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The controversy underscores ongoing tensions between commercial interests and public‑health advocacy in India’s media landscape.
Mundhe highlighted that paan‑masala consumption among minors has risen in recent years, and that celebrity endorsements lend the product an unwarranted legitimacy. He urged regulatory bodies to enforce stricter guidelines on tobacco‑related advertising and called for immediate removal of the offending ads.
The activist’s statements have sparked a debate on the responsibility of film personalities in influencing public health. While some industry representatives defended the ads as a matter of personal choice, health officials have reiterated the need for protective measures to curb youth exposure to such products.
No official response from the actors or their agencies has been recorded as of now, and the matter is expected to be reviewed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The controversy underscores ongoing tensions between commercial interests and public‑health advocacy in India’s media landscape.