By Radhika Bhirani and Arpana

THE Indian film fraternity is yet to be convinced about banning scenes showing tobacco consumption.

Filmmakers continue to express concern over Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss' incessant furore over onscreen smoking - the minister has been hitting out at the biggest of Bollywood bigwigs like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan on the issue.

Many feel such a ban will curb their creativity and that the government must seek other measures to dissuade people even though, according to some estimates, around 14 percent of students in India consume tobacco.

Heyy Babyy director Sajid Khan told IANS: "I strongly oppose any ban that restricts freedom - do you really think people smoke because film stars smoke on screen and that people drink because we are shown drinking in films? Does terrorism happen because of films? I don't think so."

"Films are meant to entertain, nobody takes them so seriously. I strongly oppose a ban."

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