No Smoking movie is conceptual. With its use of metaphor, satire, and dark humor, it may seem strange to those who are unfamiliar with it. Getting the audience to understand the underlying message was extremely challenging in 2007, but since then, things have gotten better.
The movie appeared to me strange at first glance. The narrative style of Franz Kafka, in which authoritative figures primarily determine what is right and wrong, greatly influenced the plot. First, we must comprehend the mental state in which Anurag Kashyap is writing this narrative. This film is not in the slightest “pro-smoking” or “anti-smoking,” nor is it even about smoking. Anurag claims he deceived the government and CBFC by presenting the story in an oblique manner. Anurag, whose films “Paanch” and “Black Friday” were both banned by the government and the CBFC, respectively. Thus, “No Smoking” is a result of rage.
No Smoking movie – A movie ahead of his time
In 2007, with his slapstick comedies such as “Singh Is Kinng,” Akshay Kumar was a box office sensation. Cinema that followed a formula was a hit. At that point, Anurag Kashyap, the resident maverick of India, took a risk and released “No Smoking,” a surrealistic neo-noir psychological thriller that was inspired by the Stephen King short tale “Quitters Inc.”
Kashyap made an incredibly perplexing movie by successfully incorporating an Indian twist into the tale. However, it proved to be a little too advanced for its own good. It’s a pity that, while winning praise from critics and fans abroad, it failed to find favor with domestic viewers. This contentious movie has been praised as a Lynchian masterwork by some, and its enigmatic quality has attracted a specialized following. Some claim it exists only to confuse its audience and lacks any sort of cohesion between its scenes.
No Smoking movie explained in depth
K has a dream at the beginning of the movie about Siberia. Although he can’t escape the smoking even in this total wilderness, it represents his wish to be free and leave his surroundings. The fact that he wakes up in the Russian army base at the end of the movie and finds himself back in Siberia, albeit with the wilderness destroyed, is a very plausible scenario. Accompanied by others, he understands that this marks the conclusion. It is imperative that he reintegrate into society and accept change, such as quitting smoking.
Bathtub/Sunglasses:
K seems to be using his bathtub as a place of joy and relaxation, while his sunglasses seem to represent his gloomy and dark life. It’s the only place where he can truly relax. As a result, when he takes bath at the end of the movie and discovers he is missing his fingers, he does it in a tranquil and serene setting. To put it another way, he is accepting it.
One rupee:
In the movie, the one rupee represents the modest sum that K couldn’t afford to pay, and it represents the little things that add together to make a difference. His treatment is not complete without that final rupee.
Two fingers:
It should be noted that K loses his smoking fingers at the end of the movie. This represents his acknowledgment that he must give up smoking. He’s willing to let go of his fingers (for now or forever) in order to welcome improvement and change for both his wife and himself.
Hearing aids:
Every patient at Prayogshala is wearing hearing aids. This represents their unwillingness to pay attention to repeated pleas for assistance and their requirement for assistance in order to receive any kind of care.
No smoking movie – Freedom of expression
In this case, smoking is a metaphor for “intellectual freedom of expression,” which is inalienable. In this case, K is Anurag, and the film is told from his point of view. Even though K is a haughty and conceited person, the film’s theme is that everyone has the freedom to express their opinions, including K. There is no one who can limit his freedom of expression. Similar to K’s beloved, Anurag was instructed to create a cheerful film rather than a sober one in this instance. The rehab, which is the government (read CBFC, Govt.), attempted to mold him into someone he wasn’t.
Here, K experiences frequent hallucinations and makes up imaginary stories. The film opens in Siberia, where K unexpectedly finds himself. He was watching TV when a woman spoke in a language he couldn’t comprehend. He didn’t understand that she was explaining to him that people were telling him to quit smoking with a metaphor.
The penalties that one’s family must bear when they attempt to voice their opinions are analogous to the harm done to one’s loved ones (recall Sadaat Hassan Manto). Taking off the middle and index fingers—which are mainly used for writing—is the other. Chopping off the expression tool here. And finally, separating your body from your soul is the ultimate punishment since it means you have to give up your freedom and desire. Only your body remains alive.
No Smoking movie – Is it worth watching?
K’s hallucinations are also a takeaway from his reality. For instance, he believes that the gas chamber is the place of punishment since he witnessed his wife viewing a movie in which Jews were imprisoned there. Once more, K envisioned the rehab centre as being in a slum, despite the fact that it is actually a hospital. K finds out at the end of the film that he has lost both of his fingers.
The lines of Gulzar, such as “Jab bhi cigarette jalti hain, main jalta hoon,” and the music by Vishal Bharadwaj are what I have to write. This song can be read as either pro- or anti-smoking, depending on audience point of view.
No Smoking movie is a must-see and an excellent choice.
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