The Censor Board has directed films to adhere to the ban on smoking scenes, which means that films applying for a censor certificate will have to run a warning during the film or cut scenes that glamourize or encourage smoking.
Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) CEO Pankaja Thakur said, "Films that encourage smoking or alcohol consumption will have to run a scroll or accept cuts to get a certificate."
Hrithik Rishan-Sanjay Dutt starrer 'Agneepath', released on January 26, has included a statutory warning scroll in the popular item number chikni chameli to evade cuts. The film also runs warnings before and during the film, and has been given a U/A certificate.
The move comes at the back of a clash between the ministries of health and I&B. While the health ministry had issued a notification asking for slew of changes in films, the I&B ministry had held the ban in abeyance citing concerns from filmmakers. However, CBFC is implementing the ban partially.
Elaborating on the decision Thakur said, "For the first time, CBFC has asked for a statutory warning scroll in a popular item song. The producers (of Agneepath) offered no resistance." The particular number has actor Katrina Kaif lighting up bidis, which the Board felt would send a wrong message.
However, instead of forcing the ban, the Board feels that discussion on balancing artistic expression with health concerns has had a better effect. With the Censor turning an eagle eye on films, sources said that filmmakers will be cautious in filming smoking scenes. Sources said that the ban was being implemented as practically as possible rather than in entirety as mandated by the health ministry.
According to the rules notified by the health ministry in November, 2011, old movies and TV programmes would have to mandatorily display anti-tobacco health spots or messages of minimum 30-second duration each at the beginning and middle of the film or the TV programme and run warning scrolls if a tobacco product is displayed.
For new films and TV programmes the ministry had said that there should be a "strong editorial justification" for display of tobacco products and should include a disclaimer, of minimum 20-second duration, by the actor concerned regarding the ill-effects of the use of such products, in the beginning and middle of the film or TV programme. The film was also expected to run anti-tobacco health messages, of minimum 30-second duration each at the beginning and middle of the film or the TV programme and a warning scroll at the bottom of the screen during the period that the tobacco product is displayed. The notification also mandated inclusion of a health ministry representative on the CBFC.
The notification also said that blatant display of tobacco brands should be edited or blurred in films and TV programmes and all promotional material.
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