‘No smoking’ in films goes up in smoke

New Delhi: Bollywood movies no longer need to run a scroll with anti-tobacco messages each time a smoking scene is shown. 

    The government has, for the time being, shelved a notification that came into effect on November 14, 2011 and made it mandatory for all new movies that had scenes showing smoking or tobacco use to issue a health warning at the 

bottom of the screen through the duration of the scenes. 

    An RTI plea has revealed that the Union information and broadcasting ministry has asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to "maintain status quo and adhere to the certification process as was being done before the issuance of the latest notification". I&B anti-smoking scroll order: Activists cry foul 

New Delhi:TheI&B ministry,whichhasdirected the Central Board of Film Certification to allow films showing smoking or tobacco use to discontinue the practice of running a scroll at the bottom of the screen with anti-smoking warning, has also asked the Union health ministry "to keep the (earlier) notification in abeyance till the time the practicaldifficultiesfacedby thefilm industry are resolved amicably". 

    India is the world's largest producer of movies, with more than 1,000 films being madein severallanguages annually.Astudy conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the health ministry had revealedthat76%of Indian moviesshowedtobaccouse and52.2%children in thecountry who had experienced smoking were influenced by the depiction in films. 

    Reacting to the I&B ministry's diktat, Bhavna Mukhopadhyay of the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) said, "We are deeply disappointed to learn that theI&B ministry hasissueddirectivestothe CBFC to defer the implementation of the rules on the grounds of practical difficulties, overlooking the public health benefits. This stand is unfortunate, especially when there can be no difficulty in implementing these rules." The VHAI contended that Bollywood stars had a large fan following and exercised tremendous influence on the behavioural attitudes of adolescents. 

    Activists point out that one of the major reasons for the rise of tobacco use among teens is the glamorization of smoking in both films and on television. Backed by evidence that smoking shown in movies tempts youth to light up, WHO had asked countries to enact policies that would severely restrict such depictions. 

    It had recommended that all movies with smoking scenes be given an 'A' rating, with the possible exception of those that reflect the dangers of tobacco use or that depict smoking by a historical figure who had the habit.