Nag Ashwin on why he avoids smoking scenes in films: When I watched heroes with cigarettes in slo-mo, I thought it was cool

Director Nag Ashwin helmed one of the biggest hits of 2024, 'Kalki 2898 AD.' The filmmaker recently shared his perspective on filmmaking as both an art form and a social responsibility and why he avoids depicting smoking in his films.

Cinema's influence on audiences

In a recent podcast with Your Holistically, Ashwin admitted that he strongly believes movies impact audiences, especially younger viewers. "Does cinema change or affect people? Yes. It's ridiculous to claim it doesn't," he said. Explaining his stance, the director shared how, during his teenage years, watching actors light up cigarettes on screen left an impression on him. "Like during my teenage years, when I watched heroes walking in slo-mo and smoking, I thought it was cool.

I know how it can affect kids; it affected me too," he revealed.

Why he avoids smoking scenes

This personal experience shaped his decision to keep smoking visuals out of his films. He also mentioned how people can easily pick up smoking. While Ashwin acknowledges that some stories may require such portrayals for authenticity, he keeps them to the bare minimum. For instance, he shared that only one scene in 'Mahanati' featured smoking, and that too because the character of Chakrapani, played by Rajendra Prasad, was historically a chain smoker.

The filmmaker also credited his role as a father for sharpening his awareness. Speaking about his young son Rishi, Ashwin said, "I am also extremely conscious of what Rishi watches. If there is a scene of a hero slashing bad guys on screen, I wouldn't want my kid to watch it, and I don't want to make that."

Balancing creative freedom with responsibility

On the other hand, the 39-year-old director does not believe in restricting artistic freedom. He explained that every artist should have the liberty to express themselves fully, whether that involves showing elements like drugs, violence, or sex on screen. However, he stressed that such freedom comes with accountability. "You should know that it’s a responsibility, and as an artist you can’t wash your hands of that responsibility," he said.Nag Ashwin is currently working on the sequel to his previous film, named 'Kalki 2898 AD: Part 2.' The movie will feature Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan in key roles.