Films influencing youth to stalk?

Social Menace

Ahead of the Delhi elections, almost all the major political parties have prioritised the issue of women’s security in their respective manifestos. While installation of CCTV’s, introduction of stronger laws and making the environment secure for the fair sex, top the agenda of political groups undertaking to fight crimes against women, there are growing concerns among critics and sociologists that the core issues remains unaddressed.

Among the many reasons cited as being behind the crimes against women, is one of a ‘particular mentality’ which has for centuries has remained embedded in the psyche of a patriarchal society. And films, being one of the mediums which youth relate to the most have largely heightened this patriarchal mindset. Experts rue the fact that films, electronic/ social media and advertising should have taken up a more responsible role. Sumati, a city-based activist, also a part of Viplav (Rebellion) Sanskritik Manch expresses her anguish on “how the films, Bollywood in particular, have ‘normalised’ stalking over
the years.”

“Films provide a platform to glamorise stalking. Love is being defined for people – a love which can be only achieved by being aggressive or by following around a girl,” and ‘undermining her consent,’ she says. “The girl has to concede and if she doesn’t boys must try harder,” Sumati added citing the murder of a 20-year-old girl that took place in Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2013 after she refused the marriage proposal of her classmate.

This, according to Deepali Batra, a Delhi-based clinical psychologist, is ‘deeply problematic’. “I won’t say that everyone who watches films with themes of obsessive love gets influenced but the fact remains that youngsters are impressionable and they take cues. The manifestation then shows up throughout their lives,” Batra said.

“This is a social problem and all the aspects have to be taken into account before tac­kling it. Films are an importa­nt part of modern society and if all of them send a message that ‘an actor achieves the actress only after being aggressive’ it becomes a matter of co­ncern for those fighting the ev­il” she added.

 In 2014 alone a total of 4,179 cases of molestation took place. The Delhi police, which often finds itself under pressure amidst emerging reports of crimes against women, are perhaps the  best authorities to talk about the anatomy of crime, due to their close contact with the arrested and the convicted youth under charges that include molestation.

“A major chunk of those wh­om we arrest for crimes against women are of course between the age group of 20-40 years. But it can’t be said in all certainty that cinema influences all of the arrested persons. Cinema can also be used for positive reinforcements,” said Madhur Verma, Deputy Commissioner of the Police (North). While elaborating his own view on the role of films in modern society, the DCP said that ‘cinema is in fact a reflection of the society’.

Something which Sumati disagrees with. “Films escape scrutiny when it is said that art is just a reflection of society. It can also be a force for action,” she said.