Smoking in movie poster: SC dismisses case against Dhanush

New Delhi: In a case against actor Dhanush and others featured in a movie poster smoking cigarettes, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition seeking criminal action- on Tuesday, Live Law reported.

They had sought criminal action against the actor, producers and distributors of the 2014 movie ''Vela Illa Pattadhari" under Section 5 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003(COPTA).

The court ruled that it won't interfere with the Madras High Court's judgment, quashing the complaint filed by one S Cyril Alexander. The complainant is the state convenor of the Tamil Nadu People's Forum for Tobacco Control (TNPFTC) under the COPTA.

According to the complaint, the producer of the movie, the owner and actor of the movie and the proprietors of various theatres where the movie was sought to be released breached the COPTA. He named actor Dhanush, Wunderbar Film Pvt Ltd and, Aishwarya Rajinikanth (producers) and certain theatre owners in his complaint.

The complaint alleged that the movie ad directly or indirectly suggested or promoted the use of cigarettes. Since the actor is displayed smoking a cigarette, it would influence adolescents, cultivating it as a habit, which is against the interest of the younger generations. The complaint alleged that the accused committed an offence under Section 5 of the COTPA and is punishable under Section 22 of the COPTA.