Revisiting John Abraham's No Smoking: 3 Reasons Why You Should Watch The Bizarre But Brilliant Film

Sharma said, “The year was 2007 and Anurag Kashyap collaborated with John Abraham to craft this Neo-noir psychological thriller, leaving Bollywood and its audience baffled. Abraham has often mentioned that No Smoking is his favourite film, while Kashyap considers it his most underrated directorial venture. The film didn’t perform well at the box office upon its release, as it was way ahead of its time. Today, it is regarded as a poetic masterpiece that amuses and haunts the viewers.”

John Abraham’s Nuanced Performance

“Abraham’s powerful portrayal of Kabir in Dhoom (2004) redefined the anti-hero in Bollywood. With No Smoking he raised the bar even higher, playing K, a narcissistic chain smoker. Whether it’s the assertive arrogance of a self-centred man or the volatile vulnerability of someone powerless, he adds layers to the character. Playing K, a man hated by everyone around him, is a tough one, yet Abraham does it with a sense of suaveness and subtlety. As we arrive towards the second half of the film, we witness a different K, who is suddenly stripped of his snobbery, sense of freedom and soul. That’s when we truly realise the depth of John’s acting range. The role demanded the duality of vigour and vulnerability, and John mastered it in this cult classic,” mentioned Shivangi.

A One-of-a-kind Psychological Thriller

She shared, “Dark thrillers are tough to pull off, but Anurag Kashyap is a true master of the genre. With No Smoking, Kashyap weaves a twisted tale that keeps the audience hanging between reality and illusion to this day. However, that’s where the beauty lies. As the entire film is told through K’s perspective, the audience gets hooked on the psyche of the character. Therefore, with every scene, Kashyap and K make us question what’s real and what’s not. By the time we reach the climax, we are left with a sense of lingering confusion, and as the end credits roll, we’re left with our own interpretations. Yet, watching No Smoking is an experience in itself.”

Deep Symbolism

“In a baffling scene, K’s two fingers are severed. The missing fingers were used for smoking. Through this scene, Kashyap symbolises his own struggles (his previous films, Paanch and Black Friday were banned), portraying the relentless battle between authoritarianism and artists,” Shivangi said.

She continued, “As his marriage falls apart, K reluctantly joins a rehabilitation center (Prayogshala), run by a mysterious Baba (Paresh Rawal). The whole setting resembles the Nazi concentration camp, with Baba himself linked to Hitler. Here again, Kashyap equates smoking with freedom of expression and the baba being an authoritarian entity.”

“The whole film follows a Kafkaesque storytelling, taking inspiration from Franz Kafka’s novel, The Trial, where a helpless man (also titled K) battles against authoritarianism. On the surface, the story follows a chain smoker and his struggles at a rehabilitation centre, but there’s more to it. This film is an abstract masterpiece, ageing like a fine wine and will continue to garner attention in future,” Shivangi concluded.

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