‘Smoking’ Is Not Injurious To Movies

A new trend is emerging in South Indian cinema, particularly in action and mass films, where scenes featuring heroes smoking cigarettes or beedis are creating a sensation among the audience. This trend has gained momentum with recent releases like “Salaar,” “Animal,” and “Jailer.” Now, Sankranthi releases “Guntur Karam,” and “Na Saami Ranga” feature the same.

In “Salaar,” Prabhas’s stylish cigarette scene during a fight sequence went viral. Similarly, Ranbir Kapoor’s entry scenes with cigarettes in “Animal” and Rajinikanth’s intense smoking scenes in “Jailer” garnered praise and added to the overall impact of the movies. Rajinikanth’s blockbuster “Jailer” featured Shivraj Kumar drinking a beedi in a crucial scene, elevating the movie’s success.

Senior heroes like Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna have also incorporated smoking scenes in their films, such as “Waltair Veeraya” and “Veerasimha Reddy,” respectively, receiving positive reactions from the audience.

The trend has continued in upcoming releases, with Mahesh Babu seen smoking beedis in the trailer of “Guntur Karam.” Nagarjuna’s “Na Sami Rangam” is another film that seems to follow this trend, with the teaser and posters highlighting a beedi scene.

While these scenes contribute to the mass appeal and elevation of the hero, some critics express concern about promoting harmful habits and argue that such portrayals could mislead fans. Nevertheless, the trend shows no signs of slowing down, with filmmakers leveraging these scenes to create impact and engage the audience.