Govt not serious to promote anti-smoking message : filmmaker

New Delhi, Oct 4: Making a film to promote the message of anti- smoking would seem the ideal thing to do at a time when the Government is contemplating clamping a ban on smoking scenes in films.

However, for producers of a forthcoming Bollywood film, promoting anti-smoking through their cinematic venture does not seem to have earned them any kudos from the powers to be.

An application for tax exemption put in by makers of the forthcoming film 'Jaana', featuring yesteryears' stars Rajesh Khanna and Zeenat Aman, on the grounds of the film spreading the message of anti-smoking has failed to elicit the requisite response from the concerned authorities.

''Our film seeks to promote the message of anti-smoking, the first time a Bollywood film is promoting such a message. On this ground, we had put in an application to the entertainment tax department of the Delhi Government seeking tax exemption for the film. However, almost a month has elapsed and we are yet to get any response from the authorities to our application,'' producer of the film and its lead star Rehan said at a press meet in the capital here last evening.

Rehan said they had even postponed the release of the film by three weeks in anticipation of a favourable response from the authorities.

''It is really unfortunate the Government does not seem keen to support ventures which promote social causes such as the film seeks to promote. Instead, films like 'Bunty Aur Babli', which glorifies the act of robbery to get rich, are given tax exemption.

''This shows that despite its statements that smoking is injurious to health, the Government is not serious to support efforts to spread an anti-smoking message,'' Rehan said.

He alleged the main reason for the Government's reluctance to patronise films which promoted the message of anti-smoking was the huge amount earned by the Government through the sale of cigarettes.

''The Government today earns as much as Rs 8000 crore per year from the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products. This perhaps also explains why they do not want to ban it. At the same time, they feel it fit to consider a ban on smoking scenes in films and ask filmmakers to remove such scenes from their ventures. This is clearly an attempt to curb the creativity of filmmakers,'' said Rehan, whose film releases across the country on Friday.

Citing in this regard the example of Farhan Akhtar's forthcoming remake of 'Don', whose smoking scenes featuring Shah Rukh Khan came in for criticism from Union Minister for Health Anbumani Ramadoss, the filmmaker said, ''do they (the censor board and the government) expect a 'Don' to drink milk.'' ''If you do not want to ban smoking and sale of cigarettes why put a curb on the creativity of a filmmaker. After all, any smoking scenes in a film are as per the requirements of the story and the character,'' said Rehan, who was here along with the film's female lead actress Anjana Sukhani, earlier seen in 'Hum Dum'.

Directed by Shahrukh Farhan and produced by Tess Mirza Films, which earlier produced 'Salaami', a film on army life, 'Jaana' has been in the news for its marking the comeback of yesteryears' superstar Rajesh Khanna and 70 s glamour girl Zeenat Aman.

Talking about the film, Rehan, who also makes his acting debut with the cinematic venture, said,''like Salaami, it is a realistic film but with all the commercial elements of Bollywood films - songs, action and romance.'' ''In the film, we have tried to present Rajesh Khanna in a different light than his portrayls in his earlier films,''he said.

UNI