PIL in Kerala High Court Challenges Arundhati Roy Book Cover Depicting Smoking

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Kerala High Court challenging the cover photo of author Arundhati Roy’s new book, which depicts her smoking.

The PIL was filed by advocate Rajasimhan contending that the image of the author smoking a cigarette glorifies it as a symbol of intellectual and creative expression.

The petitioner argues that the image promotes tobacco use and violates India’s anti-smoking laws, potentially influencing youth negatively. Rajasimhan clarified that he was not challenging the contents or the literary substance of the book.

The court will examine whether the cover art constitutes endorsement of smoking under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).