Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Live
‘TEENS NEED TO SEE THESE CONDOM ADS’
Is it right to restrict condom ads to the 10pm6am slot on television? Advertising experts don’t think so
The so-called children whom the government is trying to protect from the “indecent” sight of couples choosing safe sex are the people most in need of that message, feel the majority of media personalities.
The advisory from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, restricting the airing of condom ads on TV to a slot between 10pm and 6am, is criticised by people such as actor Pooja Bedi, who herself starred in a condom ad in the Nineties; writer-filmmaker Pritish Nandy; and ad guru Prahlad Kakkar.
However, adman Prasad Naik, who directed actors Bipasha Basu and her husband Karan Singh Grover in a condom ad, says that in a democracy, all views must be taken into account, and that’s also the case with complaints against these condom ads.
“The move is absurd,” says Bedi. “India’s greatest problem is its overpopulation, and one control measure is the condom.” She also points out that condom ads aren’t in any way more provocative than the steamy scenes in Hindi films, and those are freely aired through the day.
Kakkar says emphatically, “[Condom ads] are meant for children. Children [and young adults] are the ones most susceptible to things like venereal diseases, e.g. AIDS, because above 14, you’re promiscuous. The adults know about [condoms]. It’s the children who need to be educated. Don’t you teach children good touch and bad touch? So, don’t you think this is an extension of that?”
Nandy disses the banning culture, saying, “Why should the government start banning things that are unnecessary? This ban is based on the notion that young children should not watch [the ads]. The point is: children today know all about condoms by the time they are in class three or four… Safe sex is something everybody should know about, particularly kids.”
Adman-filmmaker R Balki thinks, though, that kids will watch these restricted ads anyway, because “the kids these days sleep only at 12”.
Kakkar sums it up: “As long as it’s not vulgar, it’s an education.”
If there’s a need, they can have different kinds of ads [aired] during the day, but they must educate people on the use of condoms, no matter what
POOJA BEDI ACTORHOST
No problem [with the restriction]. Kids these days sleep only at 12
R BALKI, FILMMAKER
The adults know about [condoms]. It’s the children who need to be educated
PRAHLAD KAKKAR ADMAN