Panaji: Sanjay Leela Bhansali`s "Guzaarish" has run into a controversy ahead of its release, with an NGO taking objection to posters displayed across Mumbai, showing actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan smoking.
National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) has threatened legal action against Aishwarya and the producer-director.
"The innumerable posters and banners of film `Guzaarish` displayed all over Mumbai shows Bollywood icon Aishwarya Rai smoking a cigarette.
There would be scores of other scenes which could be displayed to convey the storyline of the film. Yet the producer has chosen this particular one.
quiet oblivious to its after effect," NOTE India general
secretary Shekhar Salkar said.
Salkar, who had dragged Amitabh Bachchan to the high
court for similar offence during the promotion of "Family",
said a legal notice would be issued against Aishwarya and
Bhansali by Wednesday.
The NGO has demanded withdrawal of posters showing the
smoking scenes from the publicity campaign of the movie,
scheduled to release this Friday.
"The display of posters showing Aishwarya smoking
raises worries in our mind that such depictions could be
trend setter," he said.
PTI
