When a character is shown holding a cigarette on the big screen or on an OTT platform, it is not merely a storytelling device; it can also influence audiences.
The issue has become increasingly visible as many popular films and online series frequently portray smoking scenes, often presenting the habit to teenagers and young people as “heroic” or “stylish.”
In 2024–25, journalists and researchers raised concerns over the growing presence of smoking scenes in Bengali and South Asian digital content. According to observations by MANAS (Association for the Prevention of Drug Abuse), five of the six films released during Eid-ul-Azha 2025 clearly depicted smoking and drug use.
Popular films such as Tandav and Insaf alone contained a combined total of 160 smoking scenes. The use of e-cigarettes and other drugs was also shown, while posters, trailers, teasers, and social media promotions for these films prominently featured smoking imagery.
Although some productions included health warnings, they often failed to comply with proper regulatory standards. Imported Nepali films have also depicted characters — including law enforcement officials — smoking, raising further concerns.
Many OTT productions similarly include smoking scenes that may conflict with existing broadcast policies. In Bangladeshi films such as Tufan, actor Shakib Khan is shown smoking, with posters featuring these scenes released publicly.
Anti-tobacco groups view such portrayals as problematic. Several Eid-released films, including Priyatama, Surongo, and Casino, reportedly feature smoking by lead characters or in key parts of the storyline.
The Bangladeshi YouTube drama Morichika consistently depicts characters as chain-smokers, with smoking shown repeatedly rather than as an occasional narrative element.
These examples suggest that smoking in films, dramas, and OTT series is not simply a creative choice but one that may have long-term effects on audience behaviour and attitudes.
An anonymous student from Jahangirnagar University said: “The way heroes smoke in films creates excitement. As young people, we often try to copy our favourite hero’s style.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that smoking scenes in films, television, and OTT content significantly increase the risk of smoking initiation among adolescents and young people. According to the WHO, youths who see their favourite actors or popular characters smoking on screen are two to three times more likely to start smoking than those who do not.
The WHO also notes that when smoking scenes are shown without health warnings, risk explanations, or negative consequences, they function as indirect advertisements. On OTT platforms, where regulation remains relatively weak, young viewers may be exposed to such content without adequate safeguards.
In Bangladesh, the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 clearly prohibits the promotion and display of tobacco products in the media. The law bans tobacco advertisements in cinema halls, print and electronic media, internet-based platforms, websites, emails, and social media.
It further states that scenes showing the use of tobacco products or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) in Bangladeshi or foreign films, dramas, or documentaries cannot be broadcast or displayed on television, radio, the internet, OTT platforms, apps, stage programs, or any other media.
Under these provisions, depicting smoking in films, dramas, or digital content is not only an ethical concern but also a direct violation of tobacco control laws. However, Bangladesh still lacks effective enforcement mechanisms, and even earlier regulations were frequently ignored.
Dhaka University Assistant Professor Mahmuda Sultana of the Department of Television, Film, and Photography said cinema and OTT content are never just entertainment but powerful social mediums.
“The behaviour of characters we view as heroes, idols, or powerful figures often becomes socially acceptable. When such characters smoke without facing consequences, the habit can appear normal or even attractive to young people,” she said.
She added: “Creators often defend such portrayals as ‘necessary for storytelling,’ but there must be a balance between creative freedom and social responsibility, especially in a country where many young people are still shaping their identities. Repeated exposure normalizes smoking, which is ethically questionable and socially risky. Content creators, platforms, and authorities must act responsibly. Otherwise, in the name of entertainment, we risk pushing future generations toward harmful habits.”
WHO warnings remain highly relevant, as smoking is frequently depicted as a symbol of style, stress relief, or rebellion, sending misleading and dangerous messages to young audiences.
According to the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), any direct or indirect promotion of tobacco products — including their depiction in films and digital media — poses a major obstacle to tobacco control efforts.
The WHO urges countries to reduce smoking scenes in films and OTT content or to introduce mandatory health warnings and content ratings to protect young viewers.
