Withdraw Rule On Anti-Smoking Messages On Movie Screens: Indian Filmmakers To Govt

India's leading filmmakers have requested the government to withdraw the stipulation for theaters to run a warning scroll whenever a smoking scene is shown on screen and said video clips featuring films stars should be shot instead to maximize the impact of the anti-smoking message.

Mukesh Bhatt, film producer and president of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, said that leading filmmakers submitted the proposal to the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry. Film stars like Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan are willing to shoot video clips with a message against smoking.

According to Union Health Ministry guidelines, a pop-up message against smoking should be shown whenever any scene in a film depicting smoking. The film society has urged the I&B Ministry to take up the matter with the health ministry.

According to the film fraternity, the reason to submit the proposal is keeping in view that the scrolls shown in movies in every scene depicting smoking affects the creativity of the scene.

Bhatt said, "We have submitted a proposal. We have requested the ministry that there can be more impact through video advertisements involving popular film stars. We are all for spreading the positive social message."

Source: Medindia

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