Shahrukh Khan cuts smoking

There has been a long relationship between Bollywood and smoking since early days. Earlier this year Indian government banned smoking scenes to be shown in Bollywood movies. The decision received mixed responses from Bollywood celebrities, but the fact is that the Bollywood icons are so popular that their off-screen life also influences the masses.

Superstar Shahrukh Khan influences millions of fans and is a role model of Indian youth, announced, that he would try to quit smoking, on the eve of his 40th birthday. It seems that it wasn't a false promise, Shahrukh Khan is going forward in right direction. The superstar said ''from 70-80 cigarettes a day, I smoke three to four times [now]. I feel healthy and happy. Smoking is bad and a no-no for a person with back pain.'' Shahrukh lives with constant back and neck pain and went for the back pain in 2003.

Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss, impressed by Shahrukh's resolution, seeked Khan's help for anti-smoking drive. The actor does not feel comfortable advocating, as he thinks its purely an individual's choice. He said ''as a role model, I have been always saying that smoking is bad. I have decided to give up smoking because it is my individual decision and resolve. I always tell the youth that do not do things what your parents say is bad.