Did Shiva Rajkumar Break His ‘No Smoking’ On-screen Rule In Rajinikanth’s Jailer?

Kannada star Shiva Rajkumar refrained from smoking bidi or cigarettes on-screen for a long time. This decision was reportedly taken by him at his father, actor Rajkumar’s suggestion. Recently, Shiva Rajkumar was seen smoking in a scene from Rajinikanth-starrer Jailer. Shiva Rajkumar opposed smoking or drinking scenes on screen because he believed they would convey a wrong message to society. He adhered to this principle for the most part in his film journey. Did Shivanna disregard his father’s established principles for Jailer? Fans were left wondering. In a recent interview with Tamil BBC, Shiva Rajkumar addressed this concern. He clarified that his father was very conscious of his image and established personal rules against smoking or consuming alcohol on screen. He mentioned that he, too, follows it, but he needs to alter it sometimes. This started with his 1995 film Om, where he smoked in a scene. Shivanna mentioned that his father had advised that these scenes (smoking) could be done based on the story’s requirements.

“Dad used to say that there’s no necessity for everyone to follow me. Children should find their unique style. He never instructed ‘Don’t do this, don’t do that.’ This applied both to real life and film life. He never enforced any limitations or monitored our activities,” Shivanna said. Shivanna still adhered to his father’s principle of no smoking or drinking on-screen rule as it will have a negative impact on youth.

In the past, Shiva Rajkumar’s movie Andhar Bahar (2013) film’s posters depicted the actor smoking a cigar. His on-screen mother in the film, actress Arundathi Nag advised him to stop smoking on screen. Shiva Rajkumar promptly assured her that he wouldn’t indulge in such scenes anymore. He even directed Andhar Bahar’s filmmaker Manish Kumar to remove the smoking scenes. Since then, he has been following this rule.

Shiva Rajkumar is gearing up for a collaboration with Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, who will also direct the film. Produced by Vijay Kiragandur, the movie’s script is penned by Murali Gopy. The storyline revolves around a boxer’s life and his challenges against societal issues.

This year, Shiva Rajkumar has also ventured into other industries, making a remarkable cameo appearance in Rajinikanth’s Jailer, which recently premiered in theatres. His performance has garnered extensive acclaim, earning him new fans in nearby states.