The Hindu : National : Creativity is about saving people, says Anbumani

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Creativity is about saving people, says Anbumani

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss hit back on Friday at Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan for turning down his appeal to quit on-screen smoking citing “creative freedom.”

“Creativity is about saving people and not killing them,” the Minister told reporters in Bangalore on Friday.

Dr. Ramadoss had recently observed that the habits of celebrities such as Mr. Khan would influence youngsters and appealed to him to quit on-screen smoking.

However, the actor had declined the request and argued that “creative freedom” should be allowed in cinema.

Pat for Aamir

Without naming Shahrukh Khan, he said that citing reasons such as creativity for not quitting on-screen smoking could not be accepted. At the same time, he hailed actor Aamir Khan for the message in his recent movie Tare Zameen Par.

Taking a dig at the media, he remarked that any controversy involving an actor would become news, but not mega health schemes like the National Rural Health Mission.

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