Smoking scene in movie? CBFC will need to be convinced first

Filmmakers will have to get scenes showing smoking cleared by the censors as part of sweeping new rules sparked by the failure of general anti-tobacco warnings at movie screenings.

Under proposed amendments to movie-making rules, filmmakers will have to convince the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) about the need for a smoking scene. Even after justification and approval, filmmakers have to put tobacco warnings during that particular scene.

Besides, none of the billboards of the movie outside cinema can show smoking, according to a government official familiar with the matter.

“The union health ministry has done several rounds of meetings with other government department on ways and means to strictly implement the existing filmmaking rules or what new amendments can be done. In the existing film rules, there is a mandatory anti-tobacco warning and disclaimer at the beginning and intermission. However, this is not being implemented fully at every cinema. Therefore, a strict instruction has been sent all movie theatres to follow government directions,” said the official.

The Centre has directed state governments to ensure strict implementation of existing film rules and to regulate OTT platforms to bring them under the ambit of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Prohibition of Advertisement Act (COTPA), 2003.

COTPA prohibits advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco and alcohol in television and cinema.

“Filmmakers have to justify if they have to put any smoking scene before the government panel. After justification, whenever there is a smoking scene, movie makers have to put tobacco warnings while showing the scene,” said the official.

“Another issue is that billboards/hoardings outside the cinema portray actor with a cigarette. These hoardings cannot depict smoking scenes.”

The health ministry did not respond to queries by Mint.

According to Lancet, tobacco-use causes more than a million deaths globally every year. Use of tobacco is the leading cause of oral and lung cancers in India. According to the WHO, tobacco-use among people above 15 years of age fell from 34.6% in 2009-10 to 28.6% in 2016-17. However, the union health ministry considers this unacceptably high and has a set a target of 30% relative reduction in tobacco-use by 2025.