Dear Mr Ramadoss,Congratulations. I think you have been very courageous in imposing a ban on. I know the tobacco industry is out to get you. The ban on. would mean that millions of youngsters who watch movies only because of a. scene are also wanting to get you. The tobacco lobby is powerful and has underworld links. They have set up base in Dubai and are called T Company (T for tobacco of course). Beware of a call at midnight.Thanks and regards,Raju Santhanam. P.S. I have not used the S-word anywhere. I think that word itself should be banned from the dictionary. What do you think? Dear Mr Santhanam,I’m glad you are appreciating these efforts. I got no support from my Cabinet but I did get a letter from Mr Patil, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister. He is apparently facing a similar problem with dance bars. That’s another place that encourages smoking. In fact Mr Patil tells me that the reverse is true. Whoever smokes thinks he is in a dance bar. He also feels that smoking should be banned. I like your idea about banning the word smoking. But I don’t know whether this government can actually pass a Bill for that. As you know, we are in a coalition. I suppose we would have to consult the Left on this too.Thank you for your letter of support.Ramadoss. P.S. You are right about school children gunning for me. The other day a nine-year-old made faces at me. Obviously he was upset that he can’t watch films which have smoking scenes. Dear Mr Ramadoss,I have already suggested to Mr Patil to remove dance bar scenes from films. But he says there is a conspiracy against him. By returning the ordinance, the Maharashtra Governor is also siding with the bar girls. I am enclosing the reply of the Home Minister to my suggestion of banning crime scenes in films, or at least screening crime scenes with a mandatory notice that says crime is bad, stealing is bad etc. Similarly, for rape scenes, I had suggested a notice to run alongside stating that raping is not good for society and can be punished with 10 years rigorous imprisonment. I also suggested that the actor who does the rapist’s role should, in the beginning of the film, say he does not endorse rape.Thanks.Raju Santhanam. Enclosed Home Minister’s reply: Dear Mr Santhanam,Your suggestions are excellent. I have just addressed some Naxalite sympathisers and told them to take up good causes. I also feel that only good movies showing life’s positive aspects should be screened. But film directors say they have to show evil to indicate good wins over evil. There is a suggestion that we only show movies which are about the animal kingdom. At least they would not influence humans.Thanking you,Shivraj Patil. Dear Mr Santhanam,I have just received word that the government has allowed us to set up a Commission to look into banning the depiction of all evil acts — smoking, drinking, stealing, raping, kidnapping, winking at girls, children making faces at ministers and so on — in films and TV.Ramadoss. Dear Mr Ramadoss,This is wonderful. Films would be shorter. Once they accept the other suggestion of depicting only animals in films, we would have excellent movies about pets and wildlife. I think we could also shows classics like Animal Farm.Thanks and regards,Raju Santhanam.
