The Hindu : New Delhi News : Using the power of cinema in battle against tobacco

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 31, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Using the power of cinema in battle against tobacco

There have been more than the mandatory health warnings against smoking at theatres in the city now. Having won the battle against smoking on the silver screen, the stars are moving beyond just standing next to the compulsory health warning in films with smoking scenes to actually speaking out and spreading the message in a different way.

And giving them space to talk about the burning issue is PVR Cinemas that had joined hands with the Cancer Patients Aid Association to promote World No Tobacco Day on Wednesday. The biggest multiplex chain in the city has roped in the stars of yesteryears and current actors to make the anti-smoking point. Hoping to use the power of the cinema to actually get smokers to stop, celebrity messages from Shashi Kapoor, UrmilaMatondkar, Nafisa Ali, Viveik Oberoi and Mahesh Bhatt have been flashed across PVR Cinemas in Delhi all this week. Apart from getting stars to ask people to resist the urge for nicotine, the multiplex giant in the city has also encouraged cinemagoers to enter a contest to win free movie tickets and merchandise. The contest form not only hopes to exploit film addiction for a better cause but also seeks to understand whether the message has been effective. This contest will continue up to June 8. All that viewers need to do is watch the messages, fill out a form and put it in a box and hope that they would win some freebies.

With this first attempt by PVR Cinemas to take a stand against tobacco, it is hoped that this anti-smoking drive will at least get people to rethink their habit. -- Mandira Nayar

-- Mandira Nayar

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