Smoking in films: South Indian artists against moves on ban

Mon, Jun 9 07:13 PM

Chennai, Jun 9 (PTI) After Bollywood, it is now the turn of Kollywood to oppose Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss's campaign to ban on-screen smoking. The South Indian Artistes Association (SIAA), an apex body of actors, today voiced its opposition to efforts by Ramadoss to ban smoking in films saying the Union Health Ministry's moves to ban smoking in films was not workable.

"You cannot prescribe syllabus for acting. The move on the plea that it is influencing youth to smoke is not workable.

The country's youth cannot be influenced through smoking scenes. If the government is serious on the issue, let them ban cigarettes or price it high', SIAA President and Tamil actor Saratkumar told reporters here.

He said smoking scenes in films would not have any influence among the youth. The top film stars of the country Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan had already opposed Anbumani's campaign saying the 'creativity' of actors should not be curtailed.

However, superstar Rajnikant, whose style of lighting up a cigarette became a hit with his fans, had promised that he would not smoke on screen. Ramadoss had quoted a WHO report which had stated that the smoking scenes in Indian films had an impact on the country's youth.

PTI.

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