Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has objected to the recurring depiction of Bollywood stars smoking on film posters, citing examples ranging from Ranbir Kapoor in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s 2023 crime drama Animal to Ranveer Singh in Aditya Dhar’s 2025 spy thriller Dhurandhar. The latest instance, according to him, is Vicky Kaushal’s first look from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming period romance Love & War.

Sanjay Gupta on actors smoking in film posters

Sanjay Gupta, best known for directing gritty action thrillers such as Kaante (2002), Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007) and Kaabil (2017), took to X on Sunday to share a collage featuring Ranbir, Ranveer and Vicky smoking in stills from their respective films. “What is the point of those unpleasant anti smoking reels we have to endure before and during films when these are the posters of the films?,” he asked.

Several X users also echoed his argument. “It’s a joke, it’s like watching a show on Netflix and Apple, and being warned about alcohol consumption,” commented a person. “Business is as usual (sad emoji). Once the noise dies down, the posters will still be posters and the cigarettes will still be part of the image. The real question is whether the message actually changes anything,” wrote another user.

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CBFC’s recent updates in guidelines

After smoking and drinking, drug use in films has now come under stricter scrutiny. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry last week issued revised guidelines for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), making anti-drug warnings mandatory for films depicting the consumption, use or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. Such scenes will now have to carry the warning: “Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment. Say No to Drugs.”

The I&B Ministry notified the revised guidelines on September 16 under the Cinematograph Act. The move marks a change from the earlier certification guidelines, which required the CBFC to ensure that scenes tending to “encourage, justify or glamorise drug addiction” were not shown, but did not prescribe a specific on-screen anti-drug warning.

Last month, the ministry also directed OTT platforms to prominently display the same warning during scenes depicting the consumption or use of narcotic drugs. A similar advisory was issued to private satellite television channels.

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Among other provisions, the revised film certification guidelines also require the CBFC to ensure that anti-social activities such as violence are not glorified or justified, criminal methods likely to incite offences are not depicted.