Chennai: In a significant development, the Madras High Court dismissed a complaint on Monday that was filed in 2022 by a government official against actor Dhanush, director-producer Aishwarya Rajinikanth, and others. The complaint alleged that the 2014 film “Velai Illa Pattadhari” (VIP) violated the law by including smoking scenes. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh quashed the complaint, which was filed under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act of 2003. The court ruled that no offence had been established under Section 5 of the Act.
The original complaint was lodged with a Metropolitan Magistrate in Saidapet, Chennai. It accused the defendants of violating Section 5 of the Act, which prohibits the promotion, use, or consumption of cigarettes or any other tobacco products, directly or indirectly, through advertisements across various media platforms.
Discussion about this post