Plato and Aristotle spoke of mimesis as the re-presentation of nature. Oscar Wilde believed that "Life imitates art far more than art imitates life."
Kerala society is presently wrapping its head around the issue even as it blames the Malayalam film industry for glorifying violence which in turn is stated to be leading the young astray.
Indeed, the recent spate of killings and violence seen in Kerala, particularly involving children and youth, have left many wondering what is driving the younger generation to such brutal criminality.
There's a lively debate in Kerala on whether the rise in crimes and drug cases are being influenced by Malayalam films or social media. The conclusions are mostly reactionary and facile.
Chief Minister's statement
Soon after the recent mass killings in Venjaramoodu -- where a 23-year-old man killed his grandmother, brother and girlfriend -- and the murder of a Class X student in Thamarassery, Kozhikode in clash between students, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made a statement while replying to the adjournment motion in the assembly. The CM's statement sparked a debate on the "negative influence" of cinemas among the youth in Kerala.
This is what the CM said:
"Cinema is negatively influencing the youth," Pinarayi said, referring to a police report that claimed several students, after watching Aavesham, a blockbuster movie starring Fahad Faazil, tried to emulate gangsters from the film in real life.
"Those who attack and attempt murder are considered heroes, and there is hero-worshipping. It influences children," he said.
According to Dr CJ John, a senior psychiatrist based in Kochi, several factors are shaping the current scenario.
"Studies have found that children who are exposed to violence more often turn out to be more aggressive and tend to show aggressive behaviour when they are frustrated. Films are not the only reasons; we are narrowing it down to drugs, substance abuse, and violence in films. There is a social environment that we need to be worried about," he observed.
Most of the recently successful Indian films, including RRR, KGF Part 1 and Part 2, Pushpa Part 1 and Part 2, Pathan, The Kill, and Marco, have violent scenes.
"These scenes of unbearable and brutal violence, accompanied by sound and colour, are enjoyed by the audience and are a source of joy. The psychological and sociological reasons for this need to be analysed in depth," said GP Ramachandran, a film critic.
Rise of 'friendship gangs'
Not just in Malayalam, films released across languages and series on OTT platforms have more violent content these days. Exposure to films that have extremely violent content can lead to desensitisation in children, according to Abhirami E, consultant psychologist.
"When we watch films with violent content for the first time, there will be some kind of fear and frustration. However, later we may not experience the same amount of fear. People are frustrated when they watch the first few episodes of most of these series on OTT. Later we see how these youngsters are waiting for the next season to be released. With desensitisation, children may not even be able to differentiate what is right and wrong, affecting their behaviour," she said, adding that violent films and games lead to more aggression and reduced empathy.
"If the viewers do not have the ability to detach, they may consider whatever is shown in the film to be true and real, and that is why Drishyam model murders occur. Adults should tell children that films are not reality. Hero worshipping may make children follow what the hero or villain does in a film. This has become a tactic to seek attention too," said Abhirami.
"What we see in childhood shapes the personality of a child. We need to be more careful about parenting. Children should be taught values like empathy through any medium. Earlier, we had friendship groups. Now it has turned into friendship gangs. The gang culture may lead to deindividualisation. So the parents, schools and society have a role in moulding the children without creating a negative impact in their lives. We cannot ban films. But can create awareness among the children," she added.
Proper Certification
Meanwhile, following criticisms, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), last week, banned Marco, which was released in December last year. The film received an A certification from the board due to extreme violence.
Marco's producer Sharif Muhammad has already said he has decided to stop making violent films after the film was denied a certification downgrade due to its high violence.
Dr John, urging the CBFC to be more careful in certifying films, said that when we make a film, we need to consider the target group, which might be influenced by the film.
"The checkpoints in the cinema are not working. The censor board needs to analyse the films that are given U/A certification and critically appraise these films," he emphasised.
"The commercially successful Marco features the cutting and dismembering of various human body organs, the killing of children, and the killing of a pregnant woman during childbirth. These are included not because they are essential to the storyline, but to celebrate the physical and mental states and masculinity of the killer characters," added Ramachandran.
Need for discussions
"Most of these heroes are not getting caught by the police or penalised. So viewers think violence is a way of dealing with injustice. As socialisation avenues are fewer, there is no discussion happening over the content of these films. There is no corrective process happening. The minds of teenagers and children who watch these films are under construction. They need someone to correct them. They may not have the capacity to judge the content of the film," said Dr John, adding that there should be discussions at home and schools — that the intention of the films is only entertainment and not to be copied in real life.
The damage is at different levels. Exposure to violence also makes people insensitive to violence and blood and normalises it. People may take it to heart and believe the world is unkind.
Reaction to CM's statement
Following the the Chief Minister's statement in the assembly, the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) came out refuting the allegations.
"It is not right to say that the only reason for the increasing number of violent crimes is the violence shown in movies. Movies can also be a factor in the increasing violence. Movies have a censorship system. There are censorship laws," stated KFPA in a statement, adding that there are many programs with violence and sex which are easily available on OTT, YouTube, and in our living rooms.
"Most of the games played by young children are about violence," said the statement.
The FEFKA director's union also came out with an official response.
"Let's not forget that there is a social environment here that allows us to like and enjoy such films. The reason for Vishnupriya's murder (the 23-year-old pharmacist who was murdered on October 22, 2022 in Kannur's Panoor by a jilted lover, who is now serving life imprisonment) was the movie Anjaam Pathira. Movies like Drishyam 1 and Drishyam 2 have also been the inspiration for some other murders. Now, such allegations are being levelled against Marco (a 2024 film starring Unni Mukundan) as well," said FEFKA in their statement.
FEFKA also pointed out that cinema ultimately exists on the human side. "All stories try to tell that the defeated will rise despite the hardships of life. The politics of the human side is also what tries to uphold cinema as an art form."
Don Palathara on scapegoating movies
Film director Don Palathara was among those who felt that it is too "simplistic" to say that people acquire violent traits from watching violence in films. The danger in propagating this view is that it would result in blanket censorship of art, he said.
"Cinema reflects society's values, fears, and desires. It holds up a mirror to our collective psyche, revealing both the good and the bad. Pointing fingers at cinema overlooks deeper structural issues like inequalities, and insecurities that contribute to social ills," he wrote in a lengthy message posted on platform X.
"We can't reduce individuals who commit crimes to mere puppets manipulated by cinematic influences. They have agency and responsibility. Let's acknowledge the complex interplay between cinema and society.... Scapegoating cinema is a convenient escape from our societal responsibilities. Predictably, politicians are quick to demand more censorship. What's surprising, though, is seeing individuals with a cinematic background echoing the same sentiments," he noted.