.... moving towards a tobacco free india

Tobacco brands were promoted in more than 40 percent of Indian films released since 2004. That is almost triple the 15 percent incidence observed before the enforcement of a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. As per the research study by the Chandigarh based NGO, Burning Brain Society and supported by WHO, 89 percent of the films released and analyzed after the tobacco advertising ban included generic or branded tobacco imagery. This is significantly up from the 76 percent of Indian films with tobacco as reported by the WHO study in 2003.

"Indian films are being turned into blatant cigarette commercials," says the study's lead investigator, Hemant Goswami, chairperson of the Burning Brain Society, "Along with anecdotal testimony one hears about product placements and payoffs, sheer numbers tell us that tobacco companies recently barred from advertising their products through other forms of mass media are rushing to use motion pictures instead."

Though cigarettes are consumed by about 15 to 20 percent of the tobacco users in India, but in over 90% of the movies containing tobacco scenes, the leading man or woman in Indian films is shown consuming cigarettes. Almost all the brand placement and visibility is of two cash rich multinationals and an Indian tobacco company who are currently fighting for a larger market share in India. The film survey also found that 31 percent of recent Indian movies showing tobacco actually mocked or contradicted health warnings. Fully a third of the films explicitly promoted tobacco use in a very subtle way.

"There can be no freedom to misguide children and youngsters. No one can be allowed to circumvent the law and push a chemical addiction by promoting tobacco brands and scientifically incorrect messages in the name of freedom of speech," added Hemant.

Research Study on 'Tobacco in Movies and Impact on Youth'