Screen's smoking guns run out of smoke

New Delhi: Come 2006 and the on-screen smoking guns will run out of smoke.

Shahrukh Khan and Ajay Devgan lighting up on the silver screen will be the scenes of the past.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a notification that will ban on-screen smoking with effect from 1 January 2006. The Ministry has, however, provided for some exceptions in the act.

The fresh notification allows showing the telecast scenes during live telecasts, old movies and films made on historical characters.

Documentaries depicting the ill-effects of smoking have also been exempted in view of public welfare. In the case of period films, the smoking scenes will be allowed if absolutely essential to the story-line.

??Smoking on-screen can only be allowed while making films on historical characters like Winston Churchill, known for his trademark cigar, and only when it is necessary,?? Bavani Tayagaragan, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry. said

Such films will also have to run a 30-second message on the ill efffects of smoking, at the beginning, during the interval and at the end of the film.

??The spot would be cleared by the Health Ministry and this would apply to telecast in theatres as well as on TV channels,?? she added.

The ban, which was originally scheduled to come into effect from 15 August 2005 was deferred repeatedly because of opposition from several quarters. The Health Ministry is also meeting the officials from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to discuss the clash of interests.

Film director Mahesh Bhatt had filed a case in the Delhi High Court, calling the ban a violation of the fundamental right to freedom of expression.

The ban on smoking on-screen is a part of the anti-tobacco rules which are being implemented by the government in phases.

(with inputs from Agencies)