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Akshay Kumar's anti-smoking ad featuring Nandu pulled down from theaters by CBFC after over 6 years; Details inside
The CBFC has removed Akshay Kumar's anti-smoking ad featuring Nandu from theaters after over six years. Find out the details inside.
Audiences will no longer see Akshay Kumar's well-known anti-smoking advertisement, affectionately dubbed the Nandu ad in theaters. According to recent reports, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has decided to take down this ad, which has been shown before films for six years. While the reasons behind this sudden removal remain unclear, reports indicate that it has been substituted with a new anti-tobacco advertisement.
According to a report from Bollywood Hungama, the change took effect in September 2024, with the Nandu ad notably absent from the Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, before the film. The decision to remove the ad, starring Akshay Kumar was made last month, and the replacement focuses on the benefits of quitting tobacco within just 20 minutes.
The Nandu ad showcases actor Ajay Pal, a Madhya Pradesh native, alongside Akshay Kumar. Ajay, who made a brief appearance in Akshay's 2018 film Padman, caught attention while selling cotton to Akshay’s character. Following this, he was invited to participate in the anti-smoking advertisement, according to Midday. Ajay also had a role in Akshay's 2023 film Selfie.
For those unfamiliar, the ad features Akshay Kumar and Ajay Singh Pal as Nandu. It depicts Nandu smoking a cigarette while discussing his wife's hygiene issues. First aired during the release of Akshay's 2018 film Gold, the advertisement sees Akshay advising Nandu to quit smoking and instead invest the money in purchasing sanitary pads for his wife, effectively promoting the message of Padman as well.
In 2012, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, along with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, implemented a mandate requiring films with smoking scenes to display anti-smoking advertisements both before the movie starts and after the intermission.
On the professional front, Akshay Kumar has an exciting lineup of films in the works including Jolly LLB 3, Welcome to the Jungle, Bhoot Bangla, Skyforce, Housefull 5, Hera Pheri 3, and more. His most recent appearance was a cameo in Stree 2, featuring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor.
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