Anti-smoking lobby annoyed by SRK

Chain smoker Shahrukh Khan can't keep away from the cigs, even when he's at IPL. The smoking act has irked the anti-smoking lobby who have already banned footage of smoking celebrities on television.

NCAS [South African Council Against Smoking] informed their counterpart, The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), "We have sent the details to Supersport, who are the official broadcasters of the IPL, and the NCAS is in the process of soliciting an agreement that they will not show anyone smoking."

The NCAS are to make a No Smoking announcement throughout the match, and SRK has been informed that if he is caught smoking again, he will be shown out of the stadium.

SRK may replace Aamir in Farhan-Ritesh venture

They say that two swords can’t lie in the same cover and so is true with two Bollywood biggies Aamir Khan and Farhan Akhtar who seemed to have fallen out with each other from their next venture together. Now, Shah Rukh Khan will apparently replace Aamir Khan in this next Farhan Akhtar-Ritesh Sidhwani venture.

Inside sources say that Ritesh approached Aamir with a script on the sets of ‘3 Idiots’ but they had such a major disagreement over payment and percentages that Ritesh left the sets in a huff. Aamir demanded an exhorbitant amount for the movie together with a hefty share of the percentage.

Ritesh confirmed that he had talks with Aamir which failed. He also confirmed that they were looking for another actor, but if it was SRK or someone else would be revealed in good time. Aamir on the other hand said that the money was not the issue. It was the script which he didn’t like.

It may be mentioned here that Aamir, Farhan and Ritesh have given a smash hit with ‘Dil Chahta Hai’, but the viewers won’t get to see the trio re-create their magic, or so it seems.

Anti-smoking lobby annoyed by SRK

Chain smoker Shahrukh Khan can't keep away from the cigs, even when he's at IPL. The smoking act has irked the anti-smoking lobby who have already banned footage of smoking celebrities on television.

NCAS [South African Council Against Smoking] informed their counterpart, The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), "We have sent the details to Supersport, who are the official broadcasters of the IPL, and the NCAS is in the process of soliciting an agreement that they will not show anyone smoking."

The NCAS are to make a No Smoking announcement throughout the match, and SRK has been informed that if he is caught smoking again, he will be shown out of the stadium.

Shah Rukh takes an IPL break to cast his vote

Johannesburg, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will take a break from following his Kolkata Knight Riders team in the Indian Premier League tournament being played across South Africa to cast his vote in the Indian elections.

Having politely declined earlier offers to join political rallies of any South African parties in the run-up to the elections here last Wednesday, which was overwhelmingly won by the African National Congress (ANC), Khan will head back to India on Wednesday, together with his family, wife Gauri and children Aryan and Suhana.

Khan had reportedly been approached by ANC leaders in Durban prior to the first IPL games there a few days before the elections here. Other IPL team owners Preity Zinta of the Kings XI Punjab and Shilpa Shetty of the Rajasthan Royals had reportedly also declined offers to appear at political rallies.

Zinta said they had to maintain their political neutrality, just as they did in India.

None of the Bollywood stars would comment on the political mantle that has been assumed by one of their ilk, Sanjay Dutt, who is embroiled in a controversy with his participation in the Indian elections. Dutt had been widely publicised as putting in an appearance at an ANC rally in Durban last month, but failed to appear, citing personal problems.

Unlike South African citizens abroad, who this year were allowed to cast their votes at missions there after potential voters won a high court appeal in this regard, Indian citizens abroad cannot vote, except for diplomatic staff.

Mission officials here were also not sure whether the players in the IPL teams would be allowed to cast their ballots here, but the consensus appeared to be that this would not be permitted.

Khan said he had warned his team that if they did well in his absence, he would return; if not, he would be shouting at them from India.