By Subhash K Jha

The nauseating unaesthetic statutory warnings against smoking that prelude every feature film could well be a thing of the past. Co-directors Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK intend to initiate a campaign to get young aspiring filmmakers to make innovative anti -smoking short-films.

Says Raj Nidimoru, `These anti-smoking films can be showcased at the beginning of feature films. We can make cancer propaganda an aesthetic experience. We'll first call for entries from aspiring talented filmmakers and then select the ones who'd actually make their films.

These films can be screened in lieu of the current anti-smoking propaganda films that we see before every film. The film can be changed every few months to give newer talent a chance.

Such an initiative would not only add an aesthetic element so lacking in the anti-smoking short-films we see at the moment before every film, it would also provide aspiring filmmakers a platform to express themselves. We're chalking out the dynamics of this. `

Kickstarting the proposed series was a 3 minute anti-smoking message directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D K themselves. A shorter version of Saif's message-oriented film is shown along with the directorial duo's new film Go Goa Gone.

Explains Raj, `We offered the ministry of Information and Broadcasting that we'd do a cooler and yet effective anti-smoking film in place of the one that is screened by them. `

Saif's it's-not-cool-to-smoke message that we see at the beginning of Go Goa Gone was initiated by the actor himself.

Says Raj, `When they asked us to remove Saif's poster with a cigar in his mouth he felt he should express his opinion on smoking. We shot a 3-minute film that is very candid incisive and satirical. But we had trim it down to a more sober version before it could be attached to the film. `


Raj hopes his initiative to get aspiring filmmakers to make a series of anti-smoking films would be accepted in place of the current unaesthetic government short-film that flashes horrific images of cancer on screen before every film starts.

`We must do this in a far more tactful and far less unpleasant way, ` suggests Raj Nidimoru gently.