"Too much importance is given to that one shot without realising its context. Why not try and eradicate the smoking habit from society rather than object about it in cinema? Movies only reflect what is seen all around us in real life."

According to Farhan, the smoking controversy was unnecessarily created. "Anyone with a basic amount of intelligence can see why such a hue and cry has been raised about Shah Rukh smoking in 'Don'. He's a very popular figure whom people idolise. It may have been thought that Shah Rukh may influence impressionable minds into smoking. But why forget Shah Rukh does 150 good things in his movies and real life. Hopefully, people would focus on those and get inspired by them.

"Smoking is a weakness for sure. But it isn't a negative trait, not when you look at the fact that Shah Rukh is playing a gangster dealing in drugs in 'Don'. If his gangster's role is seen as a fictional trait, then why not the smoking which is a comparatively minor vice? So many public places have banned smoking. That's the way to eradicate smoking, and not by preventing characters in films from smoking. I don't think people will cut down on smoking if they don't see characters in films smoking."

What about animal activists jumping into a movie frame every time an animal is shown? "I won't place smoking into the same category as animal welfare. We've to respect the feelings of animals. If there's even a hint of any animal in any part of the world being mistreated, then authorities should certainly look into it. I think animals deserve to live with dignity."