Under 25 can't drink alcohol, Bollywood reacts

While many in Bollywood have rubbished the recent decision of the Maharshtra government to raise the eligibility age for drinking alcohol from 21 to 25, some do endorse the state government decision.

Veteran star Hema Malini, also an active Bharatiya Janata Party politician, supports the government's decision. "I think it's a very good decision," she says.

Director Anant Mahadevan is all for the ban. "I support the move because cigarettes and alcohol are the most abused substances. I say why not ban cigarettes too for under 25?"

Seconding Hema Malini and Mahadevan is actor-activist Shabana Azmi who thinks this decision is significant because of the increase in alcohol abuse.

"It has not been done ad-hoc. Recent survey shows that alcohol consumption among the young has reached dangerous levels and frequency of drink-driving accidents has increased among the young even though they've reduced among older generations. It is fine for hard liquor not to be served in public places although they'll still drink privately, but at least in safer surroundings," says Azmi.

But supporters of the ban are very few, as compared to those who do not quite agree with Azmi's view.