No Smoking

No Smoking centers on K, a chain smoker whose habit has taken over his life. His marriage is falling apart, his work is suffering, and he cannot get through even a short stretch without a cigarette. When a friend suggests a radical solution, K turns to a guru who promises a guaranteed cure. What he does not expect is the price attached to that help, and the story develops into a tense, strange examination of dependence, control and the bargains people make to escape their compulsions.

Anurag Kashyap directed the film from his own screenplay, working with producers Kumar Mangat Pathak and Vishal Bhardwaj. John Abraham plays K, with Ayesha Takia as Anjali, Paresh Rawal as Baba Bangali and Ranvir Shorey as Abbas. The cast also includes Kiku Sharda and Vikramaditya Motwane in supporting roles. Running 126 minutes, the film mixes drama and thriller elements, and it was released in October 2007, the first of the titles listed among Kashyap's directing credits.

Audience response has been reasonably positive without being overwhelming. On IMDb it holds 7.3 out of 10 from around 11,000 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.9 from a much smaller pool of 80 votes, suggesting a solid but not universally embraced film whose reputation rests on its unusual approach rather than broad commercial appeal.