Heroine makers move court on smoking scene rider

The makers of Bollywood film Heroine, starring Kareena Kapoor, on Monday moved the Delhi High Court against the information and broadcasting ministry’s order to display anti-smoking messages during smoking scenes in the movie.

The film is scheduled to be released in September.

Justice Rajiv Shakdher issued notice to the information and broadcasting and health ministries and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and sought their responses by September 10.

The CBFC was also directed to view the movie and file a report in sealed cover on next date of hearing.

The film’s producer, UTV Software Communication, approached the court seeking issuance of a board certificate for the movie without the conditions related to anti-smoking messages.

The producer also sought the setting aside of letter issued to them by the information and broadcasting ministry in August, imposing an additional condition that films that have smoking scenes should start with a 20-second warning on smoking hazards.

According to the ministry’s letter, producers have to shoot the 20-second message on the actor seen smoking in the film, repeat it in the middle of the movie and also have a static message on the screen during the entire length of a smoking scene.

Having no objection with the 20-second message at the beginning and in the interval of the movie, UTV’s counsel Parag Tripathi and Atul Nanda opposed the proposed static anti-smoking message during a scene.

“It would kill the creativity of the scene,” the film producer said.

UTV said that the production house had been burdened with the “unreasonable and arbitrary requirement” to display a message during smoking scenes.

The requirement “infringes the constitutional freedom and rights guaranteed to the petitioner”, said UTV.