Dear Shah Rukh Khan,

I think you’re already aware of the fact that so many people in India smoke because you are their role model, and you don’t say no to the cancer stick. You’ve smoked one in a cricket stadium, you’ve smoked in your movies (who can forget that Don scene) and you’ve even smoked in some of your earlier interviews.

In an interview with India Today, you said, “I smoke about a 100 cigarettes. I forget to eat. I have to eat food. I just remembered halfway through your shoot. Umm…I don’t drink water. I have about 30 cups of black coffee and I have a six-pack.”

So when we saw your tweet about how you didn’t smoke in a smoking area, we felt like calling out your hypocrisy. Yes, we understand how you love your kids and don’t want to set a bad example for them. Yes, we understand how you’re worried about cigarettes leading to some fatal condition. But then, if you really wanted to quit smoking, you would have done it by now.

It’s not like you don’t have the willpower or the resources to do so. You can get the best doctors, travel around the world to see off those initial withdrawal pangs and most importantly, you cannot complain about having meagre resources when it comes to self-motivation. If you can reach the top of Bollywood, quitting smoking should be a slice of cake.

“Will I be there to do the same thing (with AbRam) that I did with my older kids? Yes, that is a worry. So that keeps you smoking less, drinking less, exercising more. I am planning to give up all (smoking, drinking, etc) and try to be healthier and happier,” you said in an India Today conclave recently. So our question is what is stopping you?

By quitting smoking, you’ll set an example for others to follow suit. Teenagers growing up on your movies won’t feel that smoking is cool (we know it’s silly to emulate your bad habits, and skip the good ones). In fact, it’ll also be a good idea if you tell the world you’ve quit, and continue smoking privately. We are sure that there are some hidden truths considering Bollywood has its dark side. Another lie shouldn’t give you guilt pangs.

Thanks and Regards,

Your Jabra Fan

Sameer Jha