The smoking room in Bigg Boss Tamil 3 house is illegal, says Tamil Nadu People’s Forum for Tobacco Control

With the third season of Bigg Boss Tamil into its fourth week of airing, the Tobacco Monitor (the online app to report COTPA - The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products - offences) has filed a complaint with the state and central government authorities against the production house, Endemol India, and channel Star Vijay, for installing an ‘illegal’ smoking room within the Bigg Boss house.

Interestingly, the Tamil version of the reality show has featured a smoking room right from the first season, where the contestants are allowed a little privacy compared to the rest of the compound that is filled with cameras.

In season three, the smoking room has been radically redesigned into a much smaller boiler-like space, separated by blinds, with no cameras to give participants a chance to have private conversations.

S Cyril Alexander, the State convener of Tamil Nadu People’s Forum for Tobacco Control, has issued a press release on the issue. “According to the Section 4 of the COPTPA, 2003, no person shall smoke in any public place: Provided that in a hotel having thirty rooms or a restaurant having seating capacity of thirty persons or more and in the airports, a separate provision for smoking area or space may be made.” He adds that designated smoking areas are meant to be only in airports, hotels, and restaurants alone, and that the illegal smoking area would be a ‘bad influence’ to the children and youngsters, who view the show across the world.

The organisation has also apparently sent a complaint letter to the show’s host Kamal Haasan, as well as the producers. “He has been involved in promoting smoking by having a designated smoking area inside the house along with the producers of the show,” adds the statement.

Similar complaints have been filed in previous seasons against the channel and Kamal Haasan for issues like degrading the name of former CM J Jayalalithaa and insulting Tamil culture through the tasks and topics discussed on Bigg Boss Tamil. Many contestants, especially women such as Oviya, have been shamed for smoking on the show, both by other Bigg Boss contestants as well as audiences online.