If it’s bad then ban it: When Shah Rukh Khan defended promoting soft drinks
Shahrukh Khan had addressed the criticism over the promotion of the soft drink in an old interview. He urged authorities to ban harmful products and also defended creative freedom amid the debate over smoking scenes in cinema.
Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan was once questioned about endorsing soft drinks, which some claimed were harmful for children. In a candid response, the actor urged the authorities to ban the manufacturing and sale of soft drinks if they consider them harmful, rather than questioning them for promoting the product, which he considers part of his job.
during an interview with cnnA clip of which is now viral on social media, Shahrukh said, “I will appeal to any such authority. Ban this. Don’t let it be sold in our country. If you think it’s bad for kids, ban it. Smoking is bad – don’t allow cigarettes to be produced in this country. If you think cold drinks are bad, don’t do them. If it is poisoning our people, do not let it be made in India.”
He elaborated on the role of government in regulating harmful products, pointing out the contradiction between public health concerns and revenue generation.
“Look, my point is that you are not stopping it because it brings you revenue. Let’s be honest about it. If you think some products are harmful then you are not stopping them, but they are revenue for the government. Don’t stop my revenue. I am an actor. I have to do a job and get revenue from it. And quite frankly, if you think something is wrong, stop it. No problem,” he said.
Shahrukh also shared his thoughts during the conversation Censoring smoking scenes in cinema and the broader impact of such restrictions on creative freedom.
“The whole big issue is, smoke today, what tomorrow? And where does it go beyond this? An art form that should be left alone. And I really believe that the Indian public is literate enough to know that there is no longer a thing like Humphrey Bogart smoking, it is no longer the case that you will start smoking because an actor does. And this is a very minor health issue. I believe the powers that be should focus on bigger health issues than smoking in films.
Shahrukh Khan, who was last seen in Rajkumar Hirani’s film Dunky, is currently preparing for his next film, which has been tentatively titled King. The film will also star Suhana Khan and Abhishek Bachchan.
