During my childhood, drinking alcohol was a taboo. A person drinking alcohol was seen as a villain by one and all in the society. But, now, it is a forgotten thing. Smoking then was not a taboo. You can see the greatest ever hero on the Indian cinema, Ashok Kumar with a fag between his lips always on the screen, with not an adverse comment passed by either the cinegoers or the press, but, suddenly, it has become a taboo. Even a great film personality like Amitabh Bachchan is made to bow before the NOTE (National Organisation of Tobacco Eradication) and apologise to them. We, Indians, learnt smoking cigars and cigarettes from the West. We learnt drinking alcohol from the West too. We are now told by them that smoking is bad. We detest it. Now that there is no clear cut ban on drinking, we continue it. When they say it is bad too, we frown at it as a health hazard. And follow the advice of the West scrupulously. Are we to ape the west always? Don't we have anything which is ours which prompts us to say something or do some thing? S. Padmanabhan Block C-7, 13/719 Shri Sai Awas Vaishalinagar, Bilaspur(C.G.) PIN: 495 001, INDIA Phone: 98274 93866
Mr Bachchan has been lately acting an underworld don in several movies. His portraying the bad character also eugolises the image.I am sure Mr. Bachchan knows how his cinema image can affect the impressionable minds.In Bunty & Bubbly too,he smoke bidis continuously making smoke rings. Is this all, just for more and more money.The icons of national and international level need be more careful.
Though it is appreciable to make all efforts to eradicate the habit of smoking, I do not agree with the present episode of filing a petition in the court against such a world famous and respected person like Amitabh Bachan. This is nothing but a publicity stunt. At the most the Big B could have been informed about the dismay and the matter closed there.Also the unwanted action was done in a haste without ascertaining the facts from the BIG B
These people shld be targetting the tobacco companies. Must organize rallies against them, stop creating cigars..Instead, what they do ? Attack a film and its star..So Illogical! Press should question such dumb law suits
