Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has raised a pointed question about Bollywood’s ongoing use of smoking imagery in film posters, specifically calling out promotional material for Ranbir Kapoor‘s Animal, Ranveer Singh‘s Dhurandhar, and Vicky Kaushal‘s upcoming Love & War. On Sunday, September 27, 2026, Gupta shared a collage of the three posters on X (formerly Twitter), each showing the lead actor with a cigarette, and asked why audiences are shown anti-smoking messages in theatres when such visuals remain central to film marketing.
Sanjay Gupta Shares Collage of Smoking Posters
Gupta’s post featured three images. The first was Ranbir Kapoor from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal (2023), shown in a blue suit with a cigarette and lighter. The second was Ranveer Singh from Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar (2025), a spy thriller that became one of the biggest Hindi hits of the year. The third was Vicky Kaushal from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War, whose first-look poster was released on September 26, 2026, showing the actor lighting a cigarette with a vintage lighter.
“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?” Gupta wrote.
The post quickly drew attention because it pointed to a simple contradiction. Cinemas in India are required to show anti-tobacco disclaimers before films and during intermissions. At the same time, the posters used to promote those same films often present smoking as part of a lead actor’s image.
The Kaante Irony and Gupta’s Response
Among the many replies, one user reminded Gupta of his own 2002 film Kaante, which features a song with a lyric about cigarette smoke. The user called the situation ironic. Gupta responded directly.
“There were no non smoking ads then you genius,” he wrote.
His reply pointed to a change in public policy. Tobacco control rules in India were tightened over the years, especially after the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and later CBFC guidelines. When Kaante released, the rules around on-screen smoking were different. That context did not stop the exchange from becoming one of the most discussed parts of the thread.
Online Debate Turns to Masculinity and Creativity
Reactions to Gupta’s post went past the specific posters. One user argued that Indian cinema repeatedly uses cigarettes as a shortcut for masculinity.
“Because these people think that cigarette is the only thing that shows a man masculine. This is the lack of creativity. All Indian film industries are suffering from ‘masculinity sycophancy’,” the user wrote.
Another person compared the situation to streaming platforms, saying it felt like being warned about alcohol while watching a show that features it. A third user said the debate would not change much, noting that posters will continue to feature cigarettes once the noise dies down. Gupta’s post did not offer a solution. It asked a question that many in the industry have avoided: whether promotional material should follow the same tobacco-control logic as the films themselves.
CBFC Guidelines and Anti-Drug Warnings
Gupta’s comments arrived during a period of regulatory change. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting notified revised CBFC guidelines on September 16, 2026, under the Cinematograph Act. The new rules require films that depict the consumption, use, or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances to carry a statutory warning: “Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment. Say No to Drugs.”
The revised framework replaces guidelines that had been in place for decades. It also requires the CBFC to ensure that films do not glorify violence, criminal activity, drug addiction, or tobacco use. The Centre reconstituted the CBFC with an 18-member board that includes actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty, Pallavi Joshi, and Prosenjit Chatterjee.
Tobacco imagery in films has been regulated in India since the early 2000s. Under COTPA and subsequent rules, films showing tobacco use must display health warnings and anti-tobacco disclaimers. The rules allow tobacco imagery only when there is editorial justification. In practice, smoking remains common in Hindi cinema, often used to signal toughness or rebellion.
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About the Films in Gupta’s Post
- Animal (2023): Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the crime drama starred Ranbir Kapoor as Ranvijay Singh Balbir. The film was a major box-office success. A sequel, Animal Park, is in development.
- Dhurandhar (2025): Directed by Aditya Dhar, the spy thriller starred Ranveer Singh and released in theatres on December 5, 2025. It became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of the year. A sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, followed in March 2026.
- Love & War: Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the period romance stars Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal. The film wrapped production in September 2026 and is scheduled for a theatrical release on January 21, 2027.
Gupta is known for directing films such as Kaante (2002), Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007), Shootout at Wadala (2013), Jazbaa (2015), and Kaabil (2017). His films often deal with crime and violence, which makes his question about smoking imagery in posters a notable shift in the conversation.
The discussion Gupta started touches on a larger issue. Film marketing and public health messaging often operate on separate tracks. Posters are designed to sell a mood, a character, or a star image. Anti-smoking reels are designed to warn audiences about the health risks of tobacco. Gupta’s post asked whether those two tracks can continue to ignore each other.
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