Docs promise Munnabhai 'jadoo ki jhappi'

As a New Year resolution, city doctors have requested actor Sanjay Dutt to stop endorsing a brand of gutka and to stop smoking.

Reminding him that his father, late actor and politician Sunil Dutt, had been involved in spreading awareness about cancer, the doctors have written an open letter to the actor asking him to terminate his endorsement contract with a gutka manufacturer.

Sunil Dutt had set up a trust named after Nargis, his wife and Sanjay’s mother, who died of cancer. Endorsing the tobacco product is against the philosophy of his father who spent a lot of money and time creating awareness about the disease and the importance of its early detection for effective treatment, the doctors’ letter states. “If we do not see an end to this ad by January 26, we will wait outside your house and offer ‘jadoo ki jhappi’ so that you ‘get well soon’… as taught by you,” it adds.

In case it is the money that is temping Dutt to continue his association with the gutka brand, the doctors have even offered to pay him from the donations raised by medical students and resident doctors.

Hospitals involved in cancer treatment, like the Tata Memorial, and groups like Maharashtra Resident Doctors Association (MARD) and Indian Medical Association, are part of the campaign against use of tobacco products.

Three months ago, doctors had protested against Guzaarish, a film that featured posters showing Aishwarya Rai smoking. Many felt that the image should not have been used to promote the movie. Doctors said that these images send a wrong message to impressionable youth who are inclined to imitate Bollywood idols. Doctors had been vocal about their dissatisfaction and had worn black badges to protest the poster.

Dr Ravikant Singh, convener of Doctors for You, a non-profit organisation working in the medical field, said that a popular actor like Dutt should not endorse tobacco products because he can influence teenagers and young people.

“The reason why a gutka company has signed him for its advertising campaign is to use his popularity to gain new customers. Increase in gutka sales will lead to a proportionate increase in mouth cancer.

“India is already the oral cancer capital of the world. We have, therefore, requested him to help stop the advertisement,” he said.

Dr Pankaj Nalavade, secretary of MARD, said, “Dutt won us with his character in Munnabhai. However, he has broken our hearts by his constant association with gutka, which is recognised as a cancer causing substance even by manufacturers. This endorsement does not a suit a man who has witnessed the pain of cancer in his own family. We are waiting for a positive response and will decide our future course of action after January 26.”