Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss lauded Southern superstar actor Rajnikanth as a model for non-smoking actors citing that his last two blockbusters did not involve him smoking in any scene.

Anbumani Ramadoss pointed out that in Rajnikanth’s last two major money spinners- Sivaji-the Boss and Chandramukhi, there were no scenes featuring him smoking. Smoking thus need not be an onscreen necessity for any actor to boost his image.

The Tamil superstar quit smoking on screen after Ramadoss made an appeal to him to give up a cigarette smoking mannerism on screen. “There were no smoking scenes in Rajnikanth’s last two movies and they were biggest grossers in the history of Indian films,” Ramadoss told CNN-IBN news channel

Ramadoss had recently invited the ire of Bollywood actors for campaigning against onscreen drinking and smoking by actors in Indian cinema.

This included big names such as Amithabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and even Mahesh Bhatt.

“I find his comments juvenile. People do not even have basic health facilities in villages, rural health sector is in such a mess but his concern is limited to film industry,” Bhatt said.

Bachchan had in his blog sharply criticized Ramadoss’ suggestions that when popular film stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan are seen smoking and drinking on screen it encourages youngsters to follow suit.

Ramadoss reacted to outburst against him saying that alcohol and tobacco lobbies were conspiring to oust him.