In 2012, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, along with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, mandated that films featuring smoking scenes must play anti-smoking advertisements before the film begins and after the intermission. The first ad showcased the tragic story of Mukesh Harane, who succumbed to cancer at a young age due to tobacco use. These ads were updated periodically, and in 2018, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) directed that a new ad featuring Akshay Kumar and Ajay Singh Pal be included in films with smoking scenes. This particular ad stood out, as it was not removed after a designated period, but unfortunately, after six years, it has now been replaced.
According to Bollywood Hungama, the CBFC decided last month to discontinue Akshay Kumar’s anti-smoking ad, substituting it with a new advertisement that highlights the positive changes quitting tobacco can bring to one’s body within just 20 minutes. Recent films like Jigra and Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, which contain smoking scenes, have been released without the Akshay Kumar ad.The ad featuring Akshay Kumar first premiered with his 2018 Independence Day release, Gold. In it, he urges a character named Nandu to quit smoking and save the money to buy a sanitary pad for his wife, thereby also promoting his earlier film, Pad Man. Notably, this ad was only mandated for Hindi films by the CBFC. Ajay Singh Pal, who portrayed Nandu, shared in an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama in March 2020 that many people recognized him due to the ad.
He remarked, “Out of 100, about 20-25 people usually recognize me as Nandu. Most think I must be a big star living in Mumbai since they can’t imagine seeing me in Bhopal! A few even say I look like that guy from the anti-smoking ad! Yes, kids are quite sharp; they can identify me!”An anonymous official at a multiplex expressed their fondness for the ad, stating, “It was my favorite anti-smoking advertisement because it delivered an essential message without disturbing visuals. It was entertaining to watch moviegoers recite the dialogues, as they had memorized them after six years of viewing! I’m sure many of us will miss that ad.”
