'Jannat 2' ad showing Emraan smoking unlawful, says NGO

New Delhi: Newspaper advertisements of the film 'Jannat 2' showing actor Emraan Hashmi smoking a cigarette violated anti-tobacco laws, an NGO said Thursday pointing to the violation.

In a letter to the health ministry and the information and broadcasting ministry, HRIDAY (Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth) pointed to 'blatant violations of the rules' in the print advertisements.

"These ads, showing Hashmi smoking, have been published in supplements of leading national dailies. This amounts to a violation of the Rule 9(2) of the said (government) notification," said the letter.

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  Have a look at the Bollywood films being released on May 4, 2012.

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  Emraan Hashmi and Esha Gupta play the lead roles in 'Jannat 2'.

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  Randeep Hooda is also a part of the film.

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  'Jannat 2' is a sequel to 'Jannat', which was released in 2008.

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  'Jannat 2' has been directed by Kunal Deshmukh.

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  It has been produced by Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt.

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  Story of the film is based on the trading of illegal arms in Delhi.

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  Former Miss India and model Esha Gupta makes her debut with 'Jannat 2'.

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  Music of the film has already become very popular.

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  Emraan was last seen romancing Vidya Balan in 'The Dirty Picture'.

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  Let's see if he continues his success story with 'Jannat 2' or not.

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  Ranvir Shorey, Gul Panag and Purab Kohli play the lead roles in the film.

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  The film has been directed by Rajat Kapoor.

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  In past, Rajat has been associated with films like 'Raghu Romeo' and 'Mithya'.

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  Sagar Desai is the music director of the film.

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  Gul Panag and Purab Kohli in a still from the movie 'Fatso!'.

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  Ranvir Shorey had to gain a lot of weight for the film.

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  This romantic film is also being released on May 4, 2012.

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  Let's see whether 'Fatso' succeeds in wooing the audience or not.

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  The film will face a tough competition from highly publicised 'Jannat 2'.

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  Gul Panag with Ranvir Shorey in 'Fatso!'.

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The complaining NGO says that adolescents exposed to tobacco in films were twice as likely to become tobacco users.

It cited the notification saying that 'any promotional material and posters of the films and television programmes shall not depict any tobacco products or their usage in films'.

The HRIDAY letter also asked the ministry of information and broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification, as the implementing agencies of the rules, to take appropriate action against the filmmakers and distributors in light of the violations.

"It is a violation of Section 5 of Control of Tobacco Products Act, which prohibits all forms of advertisement (direct, indirect/surrogate), promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products," the letter said.

The letter was sent to Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni and senior officials of the health ministry.

HRIDAY, in a report, had said that Indian adolescents exposed to tobacco in films were twice as likely to become tobacco users.

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• Friday Release: Esha Gupta's debut film 'Jannat 2'

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