Daijiworld News Network's special correspondent
Panaji, Jan 10: Even as megastar Amitab Bachchan today said he was apologetic about the advertisement which showed him smoking a cigar, the anti-tobacco organization has said that they would file a writ in the court seeking legal action against various companies involved in the advertisement showing megastar smoking on a billboard.
"I have made a note of anti -obacco legislatiion and have informed my producers and told them to take immediate steps so that no such violations take place, as far as I am concerned,'' Bachchan said in the letter dashed to anti-tobacco non-governmental organi-ation National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE).
The NOTE had isued a legal notice to Bachchan on last Friday for violating the Cigarrettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 through a hoarding of his latest movie 'Family' which shows the megastar smoking a cigar. The hoardings were prominently displayed on national highway near Panaji.
Bachchan has clarified that he is a teetotaller and does not drink or smoke and has not induged in these activities for almost 30 years and has no intentions of indulging in them in the future. The publicity banner carrying his photograph is a still from the film depicting the underworld don, which he is portraying in the film.
"When I was not instrumental in designing the publicity campaign, I find from the photograph of the billboard stated to be put out on NH 17 in Goa, that the manufacturers of Anchor switches are seeking to promote their own products. Neither ABC Limited nor I have promoted Anchor products or tobacco products,'' he mentions in the letter.
The NGO, however, has said that they are going ahead with the legal action against the advertisement hoarding awaiting legal reply from Bachchan.
"I am happy that Bachchan has personally replied to our letter but we want this fight to be taken to its logical end. We will wait for the legal reply from Bachchan till Monday and will file a writ petition in the high court against Anchor company, DMS films, AB Corp limited, Amitab Bachchan and Goa government,'' stated Salkar.
"We are satisfied with Bachchan's reply but we want his support to nail down the rest of the people involved in it,'' he said.