Bollywood`s mixed reaction to smoking scenes in films

Mumbai: Bollywood`s reaction was mixed Tuesday to the central government informing the Supreme Court that it would permit smoking scenes in films though with a statutory warning of this being injurious to health.

Director Bejoy Nambiar, whose debut film `Shaitan` had many smoking scenes, told IANS: "I think its fair enough as long as the censor board is allowing the smoking scene with few restrictions. Because what I have heard is in down south any film with a smoking scene gets an `A` certificate and this affects the economics of the film. So I feel this decision is much better." Film maker Karan Malhotra, who faced issues during the shooting of his item song `Chikni Chamli` in Agneepath says it is ridiculous. "I feel it`s ridiculous and disgusting. Instead of doing all these things why don`t they stop selling cigarettes? I just don`t understand this concept. If they have a rape scene in the film even that time are they going to run the supers," Malhotra remarked. He further added: "It is not only distracting but it also looks foolish. When someone comes to see a film paying Rs. 300, we are just spoon feeding them with such moral rules." Director Vivek Agnihotri said: "Its a sad commentary on the way we have understood cinema. I don`t understand why cinema becomes the victim all the time. In no other country people interfere the way films function. There is no other art form that touches everyone`s life. I just don`t understand this." A Supreme Court bench of Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi was told that the new notification would mandate that the films showing a smoking scene would show the actor giving a warning at the start of the film, in between after the interval while a static message would be displayed in the course of the scene showing smoking. IANS