Aamir lauded for no-smoking stand in 'Ghajini'

Panaji, Jan 8 (IANS) Director A.R. Murgadoss and actor Aamir Khan, who are riding on the success of "Ghajini", are being lauded by National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) for cinematically endorsing and propagating the no-smoking ban in the action thriller.

The scene in "Ghajini", which has drawn accolades from the anti-smoking lobby, shows Aamir, who is prodded on by his girlfriend into beating up hooligans who insist on smoking in a public place.

"We thank Murugadoss and Aamir Khan for highlighting such an important fact even though we certainly do not favour any violence against smokers," Subhash Salkar, general secretary of NOTE, wrote in the a letter of appreciation to Aamir.

Salkar said in the letter, dated Jan 7, that research shows that more often film stars inspire children to puff on their first cancer stick.

"Fifty two percent children have their first puff of a cigarette after watching a celebrity light up. We recognise that just as non-smokers are victims of exposure to second hand smoke from smoker, smokers are victims of tobacco industry and they require assistance in quitting their tobacco addiction," he wrote.

He added that that a simple administrative order stopping depiction of smoking in films would prevent 50 percent of the viewers from becoming smokers.

NOTE in the past has dragged Bollywood superstars like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan to court for promoting smoking on screen.

Right now Ajay Devgan has landed in trouble for smoking in public. A Chandigarh-based NGO Tuesday filed a complaint against Ajay for allegedly smoking at a public place.

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