| In a move, which has been widely criticized as infringement
of freedom of (creative) expression, the health ministry has proposed
that from October smoking cannot be depicted in any way in films and
TV programmes.
In a bizarre move --- that has been watered down since then ---
health ministry had also said during scenes showing people smoking
in old films and TV serials, scrollers ought to be running at the
bottom stating that `cigarette smoking is injurious to health.'
Reddy, however, had a difficult time in defending how such a ban
could be extended to films not made in India, but exhibited widely
in theatres here.
Cornered by journalists today on the issue, Reddy first gave a
wishy-washy explanation before resuming his composure and saying
that foreign films , having scenes of people smoking, would be subject
to censorship when getting a Censor Board certificate for exhibition
in India.
"We cannot tell them (foreign film-makers) not to have scenes
of smoking in films. But, after all, such films would have to obtain
certificates from the Censor Board here before getting clearance
for exhibiting them in cinema halls," the minister said when
accused of not providing a level playing field to Indian cinema.
He also added that it would be the responsibility of Indian distributors
of foreign films and exhibitors to ensure that messages relating
to ill-effects of smoking are prominently displayed before and after
any foreign film where smoking has been depicted.
However, the anti-smoking ban will not be extended to live events
being aired on TV for technical reasons and on old classics and
social documentaries being made in future.
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