Creativity, up in smoke

'Smoking in all form, on screen, should be banned'.

Well, excuse me while I sneeze,cuz I am allergic to bullshit. The proposed ban on smoking in films has to be the most stupid decision coming from the government in a long time. And thats saying a lot.

This very topic was being discussed, on a public talkshow in a news channel, the other day. No, I am not the one who watches the news and all. I am the type who searches for the remote the moment a news channel appears, lest my mum decides something too important to miss in coming on it. On this particular occasion, however, the remote was not to be found. Anyway.

I refuse to believe this act will do any good at all. Whether this refusal arises out of a lack of understanding, or the presence of common-sense, I do not know. It is very well known that SRK is a chain-smoker, in real life. Nothing can be done about it. I wonder, how much is a person going to be influenced by on-screen character of his 'idol', as opposed to his real life? One gentleman voiced his praise for the star, thus," SRK is a very considerate person. Though everyone knows he is a chain-smoker in real life, he takes care not to do it publically. He was one of the first to support the ban". If you havent been deprived of your share of brains, you ll see the absurdity of this statement.

1. The fact that everyone knows he is a chain-smoker kinda defeats the purpose of him trying hard not to do it publically, doesnt it?

2. Of course he supports the ban, dimwit. Though I am pretty sure this 'support' was a face saving act, more than an act of consideration towards his fan following.

'Smoking is bad', they say, 'and the actors doing it on-screen will influence young minds'. I suppose its news to you, that murder is bad, too. Inspite of that, our trigger-happy hero overcomes countless obstacles, one of those obstacles being the law, in his effort to save the inevitable 'Basanti'. The fact that he seems to endorse the Beretta, and less than merciful methods of execution, escapes all notice. We are worried only about the ocassional puff, and what influence it will have on our kids. If you banning smoking, ban murder on screen. And rape. And thefts. They are also illegal. All that would be left of a bollywood movie will be the cleavages and the short skirts. The 'item numbers'. Though, I suspect, that will be enough to keep the show running.

I, for one, believe than since we claim to be the worlds biggest democracy, we should remain just that. Everyone citizen should have the freedom to live their lives, to do what they want, with themselves. Restricting the creativity of cinema is hardly the answer. Mind you, I dont support the habit.

As one of the speakers in the show said,'We are barking up the wrong tree. A study once found that, contrary to popular belief, married men smoke more than bachelors. I take it the government will ban marriages next.' Well said, my friend.