To most Indians Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan are beyond criticism — undisputed titans of Bollywood and embodiments of contemporary Indian style and masculinity.

But not to Anbumani Ramadoss, the Indian Health Minister, who has urged the pair to stop setting a bad example to young Indians by smoking.

Mr Ramadoss, who is campaigning to ban smoking on screen, said that he was worried about the number of young Indians becoming addicted to tobacco.

“I would like to make an appeal not only to Mr Shah Rukh Khan but also to Amitabh Bachchan and to all the other personalities. Children are being affected,” he told CNN-IBN television.

“There shouldn't be any smoking scenes in movies because we have statistics showing that 52 per cent of children have their first puff of cigarette due to movie celebrities.”

Mr Khan, 42, who often lights up in public and on screen, hit back yesterday by saying that any attempt to curb creative freedom amounted to censorship. “As film-makers we should have creative liberties because cinema is all about make-believe,” he said. “We must not have too much censorship on that.”

The exchange marked a rare public debate about smoking in India, where at least 250 million people smoke or chew tobacco and 2,200 people die daily from tobacco-related diseases.

A recent study backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) found that the prevalence of smoking among Indians aged between 13 and 17 years old had risen from 4.8 per cent in 2000 to 15.9 per cent in 2006.

The Government outlawed smoking in public places and banned advertising for tobacco products in 2004, but is struggling to reduce addiction rates.

A recent attempt to introduce pictorial warnings on cigarette packets, which are recommended by the WHO, ran into legal delays.

The Government's efforts have also been undermined by Indian films, which regularly show male stars smoking while surrounded by beautiful women and fast cars or motorbikes.

Mr Khan and Mr Bachchan have been taken to task by an anti-smoking group for violating the ban. In 2006 Mr Bachchan — who is 65 and says that he gave up smoking 34 years ago — had to apologise for appearing with a cigar in his hand on posters advertising the film Family.

Last year the National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication issued Mr Khan with a legal notice after he was seen smoking at a cricket match and a media conference. He denies smoking at public functions but did say: “Every time I'm in front of a television channel I always say: 'Children, don't smoke. It kills you' ... It's the worst habit and I want to give it up.”

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