On May 31, World Anti-Smoking Day, the government announced its intention to ban the portrayal of smoking in films.
Naturally, the unprecedented move has been welcomed by the anti-tobacco lobby.
However, filmmakers have criticised the move as a curb on artistic freedom.
Bengal teachers banned from smoking
While the health ministry is worried about glamourisation of smoking and its adverse effect on India's youth, the directors are virtually smoking about hundreds of films with thousands of scenes that will need to be reshot, or done with anti-smoking labels.
Critics of the measure suggest that if the government were really serious about stamping out smoking, then it should stop the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, rather than come up with crazy schemes.
What do you think? Is this a hare-brained plan that the government will roll back? Or, is there merit in the ban? Do you think the ban will only be as efficacious as putting an 'injurious to health' warning on cigarette packets? Tell us!
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