Shahrukh Khan's Rejoinder to Ramadoss on Smoking

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan today said Indian cinema survives on creative freedom, and added that Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss's criticism of him and Amitabh Bachchan for portraying smoking on screen is great thought, but a little issue.

"I think there is a huge amount of creative freedom that should be allowed in cinema and arts, and one should not go around picking on little things - because that's just cinema, it's make believe and we should not have huge censorship on that," said Shah Rukh Khan at a ceremony where he was awarded the French title of 'Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters'.

"I saw it in the news that Mr Ramadoss feels that Mr Bachchan and I should not be smoking on screen. I truly agree with that, I think it's a great thought. More than that, I wish Mr Ramadoss prays that I stop smoking in real life. That's worse - in movies we just do it for make believe.

Every time I am in front of a television channel I always say children don't smoke, it kills you. It is the worst habit and I want to give it up as soon as possible," he added.

Last week, Ramadoss had urged Bachchan and Khan to desist from smoking in their films. He was also critical of Khan for smoking at a cricket match.

ANI