Smoking scenes in movies has Bollywood divided

By Subhash K. Jha, Mumbai, Sep 30 : From Oct 2, the government will introduce its new no-smoking policy. Most Bollywood personalities like Saif Ali Khan, Shabana Azmi and Akhshaye Khanna welcome this move, but some feel it would be unfair to ban smoking in movies.

Saif Ali Khan: Smoking should be banned indoors in public. But why ban it on screen? It's just acting and everyone knows it.

Akshaye Khanna: Smoking should be banned in public places, but not in movies.

Shabana Azmi: Yes, smoking should be banned in public spaces, but not on screen. Because smoking could reveal a lot about a character especially if it's a woman. And to me endorsement of cigarettes by celebrities is a big no. But banning isn't the solution. We've to create enough awareness so that people would want to give it up on their own, as was the case in the US. Children should be so aware of the damage done by smoking that they should stop their parents from smoking.

Hema Malini: Yes, smoking should definitely be banned in both - public places and films.

Rakhi Sawant: I agree with Hemaji. Smoking should be banned, that's all.

Irrfan Khan: In public places, yes! Smoking must be banned since it's one of the primary sources of air pollution.

Lilette Dubey: I'm against banning smoking in open public places. To smoke is a personal choice, and we are a democracy. As long as we don't offend someone by polluting his or her space there's no harm in smoking. However, on screen it's a different matter. There's a huge impressionable audience. So smoking should definitely be banned on screen. If screen icons are shown smoking, it immediately becomes cool. We've to accept the fact that films wield a great influence.

Sudhir Mishra: I've just managed to quit smoking. But I think there should be enclosed spaces in public places for smokers.

Neil Mathur: There should be areas marked for smokers in public. But I see no reason to ban smoking from screen. If a script demands a character to smoke, why not? So many vices are depicted. Do we ban all of them?

Arshad Warsi: I can understand the need to ban smoking in public places. But ban smoking in films? No way! And if the government wants us to do what they want, why don't they fulfil at least 10 percent of their promises?

Amrita Arora: Yeah, it's better to ban smoking in public and in movies. It's only fair to people who don't smoke... not to mention the lungs of those who do.

Malaika Arora: It should be banned in public places. But on screen? I really don't see the purpose.

Javed Akhtar: Public places? Yes, smoking should be banned. On the screen? No!

Anurag Kashyap: Banning smoking in public places is fine. Ban it by all means. But not in films. For that you'll have to ban cigarettes altogether.

Kangana Ranaut: No I don't think smoking should be banned. But no one should smoke in front of babies. As for the movies, we should be allowed to do what we want to within limits. Nothing should come in the way of our creativity. Smoking is not the only thing that's injurious to health. What about noise pollution in pubs? We all have to leave our bodies one day anyway. Some sooner than others. No worries.

Prakash Jha: No I don't think smoking should be banned, but definitely restricted and discouraged. And the same goes for the screen. Smoking should never be glorified. I am in principle against any kind of ban.

Madhur Bhandarkar: Of course, smoking should be banned in public places. Smoking is injurious to everyone especially children. But on screen I say no, no ban. That's just acting.

--IANS