Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has questioned why Bollywood posters still glamorize smoking while cinemas force audiences to sit through anti-smoking reels. On Sunday, he posted a collage on X showing Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Vicky Kaushal smoking in film posters.

The posters were from Animal, Dhurandhar and Love and War, with each actor holding a cigarette as part of his character look. 'What is the point of those unpleasant anti-smoking reels we have to endure before and during films when these are the posters of the films?' Gupta wrote.

The post drew pushback, with users citing Gupta's 2002 film Kaante, whose song Rama Re references cigarette smoke. Gupta replied that the rules were different then: 'There were no non smoking ads then you genius,' he wrote.

The debate follows revised CBFC guidelines notified on September 16, which tighten rules on substance depiction in films. The exchange could push studios to rethink how posters market smoking, before regulators decide for them.