KGF 2: Health Dept. issues notice to Yash over smoking scene

Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department has issued a legal notice to actor Yash of the upcoming film KGF: Chapter 2 seeking removal of smoking scenes and promotion of tobacco products from the film's promotional videos and posters.

Bengaluru(Karnataka): While the makers are still rejoicing the overwhelming response to the teaser of KGF: Chapter 2, the film has come under the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department for all the wrong reasons. The authorities have issued a legal notice to the director, producers and actor of the film seeking the removal of smoking scenes from the film's teaser and posters.

The Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department has said, the visuals showing the actor smoking a cigarette violated Section 5 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA). The authorities have asked the makers to delete the particular scene in the teaser from online platforms and also remove posters of the film where smoking or tobacco consumption is shown since it causes cancer.

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In their notice, the Anti-Tobacco Cell said, since the actor has a large number of fans particularly among the youth, showing him smoking on-screen would encourage the youth to blindly copy him. The makers are asked to remove the scenes from the teaser and poster of the film on moral grounds and should feel responsible for the people.

A letter objecting to the visuals in the teaser has been sent to the film director Prashant Neel, actor Yash, producer Vijay Kiragandur, and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce.