The first look poster of Chaavu Kaburu Challaga showing its lead actor Karthikeya Gummakonda smoking a cigarette has been slammed by a section of people for promoting smoking. The poster, which was released by the actor on his Twitter page shows him in a lungi-clad avatar standing atop a funeral service vehicle posing with a cigarette in his mouth.

The poster came under criticism for violating The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act, 2003 or COTPA, 2003. That's not all, they have also urged Karthikeya and the production house Geetha Arts to act responsibly and not promote smoking tobacco through their film(s).

Directed by Koushik Pegallapati, Chaavu Kaburlu Challaga presents Karthikaya as Basthi Balaraju. The film's principal shooting began today.

Chaavu Kaburlu Challaga is rumoured to have Lavanya Tripathi as the leading lady.

Incidentally, Karthikeya's last release 90 ML shows him as an authorised drinker, who suffers from an alcohol syndrome at birth.