Smoking / Drinking in Indian Films ....

For sometime now I was thinking about this topic! Now that I have some free time let me share my view on this.

Our Honorable Health Ministry is repeatedly saying that actors smoking, drinking on films would encourage their fans, youngsters to take up the habit. So he was saying that film industry should stop showing smoking and drinking scenes in their films! It all started up during Rajinikanth's movie Baba which was released in 2002. The good or bad part in TamilNadu is even Rajinikanth's silence becomes a topic of discussion!!

After that incident Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss requested Superstar Rajinikanth to avoid smoking in his films. Our superstar has accepted that request and stopped smoking in his next films - Chandramukhi and Sivaji.

Now the health Minister is trying to force it in Bollywood also and he is facing opposition there. Lets step back and think whether what Health Minister says makes sense or not!

1. For argument sake lets abide by the logic of Hero's smoking on screen urges lots of youngsters to take up smoking. That being the case then:
1.1 After the release of the movie 'Raghavendra' has youngsters become saints or more spiritual?
1.2 After the release of 'Gandhi' shouldn't the whole of India taken up 'Ahimsa' or has our country become non violent? [Don't forget unfortunately Gujarat was hit by a massive riots few years back :( ]
1.3 After the release of Chak-De-India has everybody taken up Hockey as their favorite sport? [Still majority of the Indians are crazy about Cricket only. Is it good or bad is altogether a different argument.]
1.4 Do we need to stop further movies of Superman because youngsters might imitate him in real-life?
1.5 Do we need to ban all war time movies as it might provoke fresh war ideas into people's mind??
1.6 Do we need to ban 'History' as a subject in schools? As they talk about World War - I & II? ?

I feel its wrong to presume that films ONLY have bad influence on people. Aren't the people and youth of our country have no mind of their own? Btw why are film industry is always targetted during election times or whenever a party wants to be in news? Is it because they are the easy targets?

Will politicians do these in the first place?

1. Can they bring a rule to ban the supply of Ciggarattes and Alcohol in India?
I bet no body will do it. Reason being lots of people are surviving based on it and they will become jobless. Also they will be worried about their votes in the next election.

2. Can all political parties first force and implement that their party cadres should not smoke or drink?

3. Can they ask one of the famous personality whose main business is producing alcoholic beverages to bring down his business?
4. Can they try taking a census on how many of them actually don't smoke or drink in Health Ministry itself? etc.,

Let's, not do moral policing and, stop picking on easy targets like entertainment industry. When Censor board has certified a movie then what more do the politicans need?

Just because,
1. Sachin Tendulkar is acting in Hero Honda advertisement
OR
2. Vikram / Vijay acted in Coca-Cola
OR
3. Rajinikanth smokes in the movie I don't think everybody is going to go and smoke or drink coke or buy hero honda bike :)

It's true that once major personalities appear in an movie/ads they make people stop and look at it. But unless or until the individual perceive the importance of the product I don't think anybody is going to go after it! Atleast that's how I am. I don't smoke or drink but I watch all movies of Rajinikanth and am a fan of him. I have heard lots of good advices indirectly from him via his movies, media etc., but his onscreen smoking has never got into my mind and forced me to smoke!!! That said, i enjoy this stylish actor's each and every move in the film including the way he smokes. Whats wrong in it?

Atleast after Chandramukhi & Sivaji [where he hasn't smoked] became box-office hits politicians should understand that Superstar Rajinikanth is not depending only on his smoking skills!!!! People pay money to watch him on the screen and what ever he does is liked by the masses.

Yes, I have read about some serial killers in the past and they have claimed that some films where their examples!!! I feel sorry for their ignorance and all i have to say is there can be exceptions but exceptions can never become an example!