As smoking scenes are prohibited in Bollywood films, the promo of Bhansali’s upcoming movie Guzaarish, where Aishwarya Rai, has been shown attempting to smoke, is cooking up a storm. Although movies with smoking scenes are often bracketed as ‘A’ grade, while screening it on 70mm, shouldn’t these scenes be censored from movie promos as well?
Interestingly, the film industry begs to differ. Director Mahesh Bhatt, who has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court against the health ministry, says, “First of all, I feel that the whole argument of putting a blanket ban on smoking on-screen is impractical. If the intention of the smoking scene in the movie is not to glorify the act, there is no harm airing it. Even before the promos are shown on TV, the Censor Board scrutinises it and ensures that anything that might prove offensive for the public is not aired. The film fraternity is with the nation in making people aware about the harm tobacco can cause, but if in the name of public interest, anti-smoking lobbies curb creative freedom, it’s a ridiculous way to bring about a change.”
Seconds actress Shahana Goswami of Rock On fame, “Be it a promo on TV or a film with smoking scenes, viewers should be responsible enough to draw the right inspiration from characters. Smoking scenes usually depict a villain or just a fun sequence in the movie. As far as the trailers involving Aishwarya go, some people say that it might mar her reputation as a global icon. Otherwise it’s a funny and lighthearted scene, where she being a non-smoker, doesn’t know how to take a puff. When scenes of violence, action, and molestation are not edited and censored, why should smoking be banned?”
Going back in time, a similar controversy was created when Kareena Kapoor lit cigarette in Chameli and Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranut in Fashion, but there are actresses who have refused to do smoking scenes. Deepika Padukone developed cold feet when she was asked to do a smoking scene in Karthik Calling Karthik and recently actress Gul Panag, who is anti-smoking, put her foot down, when she was asked do one in Prakash Jha’s Turning 30. Assistants had to arrange special herbal cigarettes for the actress.
City movie buffs too feel that actors should not glamourise the act. Shikha Rawat, a marketing professional, says, “There’s no doubt that TV influences youth today. And the on-screen depiction of smoking by actress like Ash, who has a huge fan following, might not be taken in the right spirit. Youngsters try to imitate their screen icons and closely watch their actions, so some might get tempted to take up smoking, just to show how cool they are. If such scenes are going to be censored later on, why air them on TV?”