Before I begin, let me ask you not to think of elephants while you are reading this article.
Let me start by mentioning about a recent movie, which was surrounded by controversy owing to the depiction of some violent scenes involving drug abuse. Udta Punjab.
The film scared me a bit though, as it might well be intended, with teenage childen offering themselves to drugs by injecting themselves.
Now the point is that the drug menace in Punjab is being mentioned since 10 years. It was in early 2000s that there was an article on the topic. Of course, people in the age group same as mine might not remember, nor do I. It is also not the case that drug menace has been restricted to Punjab only. There have been campaigns to stop drug abuse even in Chennai. So there is no harm in denying that the youth are not introduced to drugs. Now one can't argue the intensity of the abuse is much more in Punjab than in anywhere in India. Drugs are drugs. Its sheer use to achieve unimaginable feelings is a blot on the society.
Elephants can sometimes be the most cruel creatures on Earth. Stay away from elephants.
Now let me rewind some years of the Indian Cinema. About 10-15 years before, when we didn't have dish tv connections, I remember, we used to watch Doordarshan sometimes. I remember watching a film in which there was some song Tel Maalish by Jonny Walker, I guess. I am sure no one today would listen to it. But I just observe the evolution of films from that point to today.
We have been evolved in terms of our thinking and our reactions.
Today we are more open and casual than our previous generations.
So what I am trying to point out here is that films do have a impact, whether meagre or not, on the way we perceive our surroundings.
Have you played with a magnet? Have you brought a magnet near some iron fillings? What did you observe? Some movement towards or away from the magnet?
What I am trying to explain is something similar.
And also in both positive and negative sense.
The thing is that when you watch a graphic/movie, our brain perceives it as real and lives that moment. When you are doing an activity, you must have observed your mind wandering. But have you ever wandered while watching a movie? I recall reading this from Quora after having watched the movie Drishyam. It is also the reason why you feel relaxed after watching a movie, the reason being that your mind was away from your thoughts.
Now when I had asked you to not to think of elephants, what did you think of? I had even scared(?) you by mentioning they are cruel. What did you think of?
Are you getting my point?
By portraying that something is bad, it gruesome, it the worst thing, don't do this... you are inviting some percent of youth, to try it nonetheless.
Drugs were portrayed as bad, but it was also shown that with the help of drugs the character could compose songs which took him to world level recognition. Now our mind has this habit of throwing out arguments which we don't like. Although cigarretes are also harmful, they are portrayed in movies as a style symbol. And somewhere there could be someone who, immature because of the age, would be wanting to give a try. There is no going backwards.
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