Superstar Amitabh Bachchan has apologized to anti-tobacco group for the controversial hoarding of the film ‘Family - Ties of Blood’ which shows him smoking a cigar. The hoardings were prominently displayed on National Highway near Panaji.

“I have made a note of anti-tobacco legislation and have informed my producers and told them to take immediate steps so that no such violations take place,” stated Bachchan in a letter written to Shekhar Salkar, General Secretary, National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) India.

The NOTE had issued legal notice to Bachchan on January 5, violating Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, giving him eight days time to reply to them. “I know Amitabh as a non-smoker and his act of posing with a cigar in hand will influence a lot of people who will opt for smoking,” Salkar had said.

The megastar wrote in his letter, “I am a teetotal, I do not drink nor smoke and I have not indulged in these activities for almost 30 years, and have no intentions of indulging in them in the future. The publicity banner carrying my photograph is a still from the film depicting the underworld character of a don, which I am portraying in the film Family”.

“While I was not instrumental in designing the publicity campaign, I find from the photograph of the billboard stated to be put out on NH 17 in Goa that the manufacturers of anchor switches are seeking to promote their own products. Neither a corp. limited nor I have promoted anchor products or tobacco products,” he said.

Shekhar Salkar said, “We received a letter from him on Tuesday explaining that he was not aware the still would be used to endorse the film. We will now pursue the case with the producers - Anchor Company and co-producers.”