BEIJING (AP) — China's government urged television and film producers to avoid "unnecessary and lengthy" smoking scenes, following public complaints about rampant cigarette smoking in a popular miniseries, a state-run newspaper said Friday.

"New Shanghai Bund" is a remake of a 1980s Hong Kong drama about 1930s gangsters that turned leading man Chow Yun-fat into a star. The actor who now plays Chow's character has been criticized as an addict because of his constant smoking.