Sanjay Gupta Slams Posters Of Vicky Kaushal's Love & War, Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar And Ranbir Kapoor's Animal Over Anti-Smoking Ads

Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta questioned the use of smoking in promotional posters featuring leading Bollywood actors like Vicky Kaushal, Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor, pointing to what he sees as a contradiction between such imagery and the anti-smoking warnings shown in cinemas.

On Sunday (September 27), Gupta shared a collage on X featuring Ranbir Kapoor in Animal, Ranveer Singh in Dhurandhar and Vicky Kaushal in Love & War. All three actors were seen smoking in the respective character looks featured in the posters.

Sharing the collage, Gupta questioned the purpose of the mandatory anti-smoking messages shown before and during films. "What is the point of those unpleasant anti-smoking reels we have to endure before and during films when these are the posters of the films (sic)?" he wrote.

His post soon led to a discussion on social media. One user pointed to the song Rama Re from Gupta's 2002 film Kaante and accused the filmmaker of taking an ironic position on smoking imagery.

Gupta responded by pointing to the difference in regulations at the time. "There were no non smoking ads then you genius (sic)," he wrote.

Several other users joined the conversation, with some questioning whether anti-smoking warnings have any impact when smoking continues to feature prominently in film imagery.

New CBFC guidelines amid debate over substance use

Gupta's comments come amid changes in India's film certification rules concerning the depiction of substance use. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) recently introduced revised guidelines notified by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting under the Cinematograph Act.

The updated rules make anti-drug warnings mandatory for films depicting narcotics, while also retaining restrictions related to violence, sensitive subjects and content that could affect international relations.

Under the revised norms, scenes showing the consumption, use or trafficking of illicit drugs must carry an on-screen warning stating: "Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment. Say No to Drugs (sic)."

The changes came alongside the Centre's reconstitution of the CBFC with an 18-member board. The new panel includes actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty, Pallavi Joshi, Manoj Joshi, Roopali Ganguly, Nishigandha Wad and Prosenjit Chatterjee.

Filmmakers Priyadarshan and Neela Madhab Panda, musician Ricky Kej, producer Supriya Yarlagadda, singer Hans Raj Hans, poet Yatindra Mishra, theatre director Waman Kendre and writer Ramesh Patange are also part of the board. Shashi Shekhar Vempati continues as CBFC chairperson.