Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; April 7, 2015)

A producers' meet was held at actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan’s house yesterday to chalk out a proposal on alternative ‘no smoking’ disclaimers for films. The proposal will be sent to the health ministry for consideration.

Mukesh Bhatt, who is also the president of the Indian Film and Television Producers’ Guild, said: “We plan to make short films on no-smoking and want to present a proposal on the same to the ministry. The industry is against the static messages. We have shortlisted names of seven-eight filmmakers and top actors to be part of such films.” The directors’ names include Karan Johar, Vishal Bhardwaj, Farhan Akhtar, Vikram Bhatt and Anurag Kashyap.

Industry members had earlier discussed this issue with Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, in the city. Bollywood folk have been vocal about their disapproval regarding the static warning that pop up during smoking scenes.

Anurag Kashyap had raised objections to the disclaimer and filed a case before the release of his film Ugly last year.

An industry source says, “We want the audience to engage with us. There have been times in the past that the lead actor or actress gave a voice-over to the ‘smoking is injurious to health’ disclaimer flashing on screen.”


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Subhash K Jha (DNA; April 7, 2015)


This, after a politician from the ruling party claimed there is no definitive proof of tobacco consumption being responsible for cancer.

Sources in the government say the declaration, if it finds popular mandate, could well sound the death knell for the anti-smoking warnings producers were forced to insert into their films.

Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Pahlaj Nihalani agrees that the tobacco disclaimers should go missing.

Says Nihlani, “As a filmmaker, I know how painful it is to have anti-smoking videos inserted in the beginning and middle of your film. The first shot of the film establishes a rapport with the audience. Likewise, just after interval you need to capture your audiences’ attention after they’ve gone out of the theatre to refresh themselves. When you take away the film from the director at those two crucial points of the story (the beginning and middle) you are essentially robbing him of his creative rights. That isn’t fair specially when you are not a smoker. Why should you have your film and the audiences’ mood spoilt? The anti-smoking disclaimers should go.”