.... the brain is not a vessel to be filled,
It is something to be IGNITED

Dr. Ambumani Ramadoss deserves full marks for audaciously coming out with law to put an end to glamorization of tobacco in movies. The results of this move shall be visible and quantifiable in ten to fifteen years. Some people are crying foul, as is expected of any good action. (In a dictatorship any dictator will call foul if you restore democracy.) But then, making the world a better place can’t depend on applause. If you wait for the cheer then many a things which must be done will never get done.

 What is the significance of this action? Will it actually result in reduction of tobacco consumption and thereby tobacco caused deaths? Will it look aesthetic when a scroll saying “Smoking Kills” comes along when any movie star lights a cigarette? Is it not a transgression on freedom of expression? Is the cigarette not an important tool to highlight certain expressions and emotions? These are some of the questions which are echoed by some ignorant but famous film personalities as well as some media people.

 Let’s see who these people are. We can segmentize them into three groups; first: those having affiliation with tobacco companies (we have been told by some of our friends in the marketing division of some big newspapers that there have been recent commitments by leading tobacco companies to give advertisements worth considerable amounts of their other non-tobacco products – in return – they are influencing negative articles against the recent promulgation on new tobacco control rules by the Ministry of Health with an intend to dilute the action. There are also instances of paid articles.) Second: People who themselves consume tobacco products and see it as a part of their routine. These people see nothing wrong in it and wouldn’t mind even if there children/dear one’s smoke or consume tobacco. (Includes people in the filmdom and media) Third: People who are driven by false propaganda by people of the first and second category and who are themselves ignorant about the effect and consequences of tobacco consumption and the result of its glamorization over the media.

 Let’s first take the basic questions about the significance and effect of such a ban on tobacco products. Based on the results derived out of a total ban on advertising of tobacco products in some other countries, it is now well known fact that this step alone has the potential of reducing tobacco consumption by as much as seven percent (7%). In India under the Cigarette & Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 prohibition of advertisement of tobacco has already been done but then tobacco companies were/are using the surrogate route. One of them is to advertise tobacco products in movies at subliminal level, which has been proved to be much more effective for them.

 For a youngster in the 10-22 year age group the search for a role model shifts from his/her parents to some body much bigger and more macho. The role model is seen as the alter-ego; someone the youngster fantasizes to become like one day. Most of the youngsters, as most of them are; emotionally insecure, ignorant and confused. In search of their role model they want to emulate the big movie stars as they are the one’s who are seen as successful, famous, glamorous and rich. The roles these actors perform can on no account be separated from their personnel mannerism and preferences. When your role model appears like a demigod on a big 40 feet screen, flirting with the most beautiful lady in the world, speaking the dialogues in the most impressive way (since they are written by the best writers) wearing the best and driving the costliest car on the planet, breaking the bones of ten goons and simultaneously lighting a cigarette stick with style; you (as a youngster) would like to clone him in totality. The razor line between reality and drama is bound to fade as human beings are known to be carried by emotions and not logic. (Had logic been the driving force nobody would have been smoking.) The indelible imprints these things leave on young impressionable mind can not even be fully comprehended.

 You imagine a 10 second advertisement when a famous actor appears on the screen and advocates using a product, people start believing in the good quality of the product. The actor may never say, buy this; he just appears along side the product. If the logic about differentiating the facts from fiction is valid, how do you explain this? When movie icons like Amitabh or Shahrukh Khan appear on television and appeal people to go to polio booths for immunisation of their children, the whole country follows them; similarly when such movie stars consume tobacco products on the screen and flash the brand name there is no reason why the impressionable youngsters will not do it? Do you have any answer?

 If we can reduce tobacco consumption by 7% just by blocking the advertisement of tobacco products, imagine the ultimate result of deglamorizing tobacco. It is something to be watched to be realised; how many people can be saved from dying a premature death can not be imagined at present; well it may never be realised but this move will definitely save millions (34 million till 2020; according to WHO estimates) of young people and add quality years to their life. Remember reduction in consumption is also reduction in deaths caused due to tobacco, which at present (in 2004) are near 10 million every year.

 Will such a ban look aesthetic? How will we depict certain emotions? Such questions are put forward on various news channels by some of the actors pretending to be ignorant of the real effects. I ask them; sir, what is important to you; your life or aesthetics. If real things are so important to you then why the hell you use duplicates and animations to enact some scenes? If anyone calls oneself an actor, I believe he/she must also have some respect for the Natya Shastra and such like other basic books on acting and stage management. Sir, can you tell me which acting book in the world talks of using tobacco as an aid to acting? For your information “Bharata Natya Shastra” forbids use of any form of intoxicant while acting, rather on the other hand it emphasises in expressing human emotions through face and body parts. There is no such human emotion which requires the aid of tobacco.  If you still advocate the use of tobacco products in movie and also insist on yourself being called an actor, please rethink about your abilities as an actor.

 As for the anti tobacco scroll, we all have seen movies with subtitles all our lives, why the fuss if the subtitle warns about the use of tobacco. If someone still thinks that it will compromise the aesthetics then let me remind him that more important than aesthetics is the mission of preventing our youngsters from falling into a well known and identified death trap. Their healthy life is sine-quo-non. Let’s understand that we have committed mistakes in the past and now we have a chance to make amends. He who admits and rectifies is the bravest of all.

 A big hand for Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss and his team. The step is of historic importance and the whole world will follow it sooner or later, let there be no mistake about this.

 May I also quote the ten paradoxical commandments by Kent M. Keith, which remains a source of inspiration for people working for any common cause:

 People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway. 

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Do good anyway. 

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway. 

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway. 

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway. 

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway. 

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for the underdogs anyway. 

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway. 

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

[You are free to forward, reproduce or use and part of this writing. Your intimation regarding the same to Hemant Goswami at info@ burningbrain.org shall be appreciated.]

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