Filmmaker Gautam Ghose fined for smoking in public at IFFI

Noted filmmaker Gautam Ghose, who scooped the top IFFI prize of his film Moner Manush, was booked for smoking in the festival premises.

The director, who won the coveted Golden Peacock for his film on 19th Century mystic poet Lalon Faqir, was found smoking in the lawns of the Kala Academy, which hosted the closing ceremony of the festival on Thursday.

Police inspector Sandesh Chodankar spotted the filmmaker smoking in the 'prohibited area’ and instantly booked him for violating the anti-tobacco law.

Bengali actor Ananya Chatterjee was also booked for smoking in the public.

Panaji police has been active in the IFFI premises penalising the anti smoking act violators.

As per records, around 50 cases have been filed during ten day festival for smoking.

The National Tobacco Eradication Organisation (NOTE), an anti tobacco watchdog, had initiated campaign asking police to ban the delegates and filmmakers from smoking at the venue.

Interestingly, although the law was enforced, there were no prominent signboards warning smokers against it.