Navigating Screen Violence: How much is too much?

With Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s movie ‘Kill’ being the matter of the moment for the violent nature of the film, it also provokes us to ask how much of similar gore depictions of brutality should be considered normal for the audience to interact with?

In recent times Bollywood has increased its bandwidth to welcome more action thrillers, like ‘Animal’ ‘Bhola’ and ‘Kill’ these movies however cross certain boundaries when it comes to portrayal of violence on-screen and often are found including an excessive number of crude scenes.

Violence is frequently weaponized as the driving plot for action thrillers however based on various studies it can be plainly interpreted that recurrent interaction of the viewers with similar content can contribute to real-life aggression and desensitization along with unhealthy attitude towards these belligerent concepts.

The censor board of Bollywood, who threw a fit over Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movie, ‘Padmavat’ for allegedly portraying Rani Padmavati in a demeaning context, only made an 8-minute alteration in the movie ‘Animal’, which still ended up being available for audience interaction through its Netfilx release. OTT platforms have been a large contributor in bringing forth movies and shows of callous nature for instance ‘Tabbar’, ‘Mirzapur’, ‘Maharaja’ and ‘Rana Naidu’.

Violence is one of the most used genres to break the monotony of Rom-coms and is well appreciated for the same by a large audience, nevertheless a restriction free license shouldn’t be handed out to OTT platforms for releasing extremely aggression-oriented content.

Casual depiction of sexual violence

In-depth representations of sexual assault through films leave a disturbed frame of mind for the viewers fraternizing with the same. Movies like ‘Maharaja’ and ‘Mardaani’ which make use of detailed portrayal of rape in the scenes to increase the intensity and the effect of the plot on the audience create a rather appalling impact. These movies act as the agents of perpetrating immoral effects and negative perceptions towards similar activities.

Even if the presentation of acts related to sexual assault is executed in a way that’s supposed to inculcate a negative attitude towards indulging in the same, a really twisted mind can interpret those scenes as an inspiration instead. Such casual approach in illustrating heinous crimes can lead to normalization of the same.

Impact of violent displays on youth

A higher topic of concern is the impact of violence inclined content on the youth. Being exposed to plenty of aggressive wrongdoings alongside coarse language can cause detrimental effects on a young mind. Teenagers end up cultivating the thoughts of imitating actions which they observe from the movies.

Violent displays in movies further stimulates violent nature, particularly amongst kids. Research suggests that unserious portrayal of violence through screens provides allowances in practicing the same by desensitizing the audience.

To add a pinch of realism in what’s shown on screen, action-thrillers can be the right method however adding senselessly overexaggerated violence packed scenes in the script to drive its plot will eventually lead to a higher negative response. The makers of such content should consider a way to deliver their intended message without the glorification of violence. While it is undeniable that violence can serve as a powerful narrative device, its frequent and often sensationalized depiction raises important ethical questions.

As Bollywood continues to evolve, there is a growing need for a more nuanced approach that balances dramatic storytelling with social responsibility. By addressing these concerns and striving for more thoughtful and impactful representations, the industry can contribute to a broader dialogue about violence and its implications in society. The challenge lies in creating content that not only entertains but also fosters a deeper understanding of the issues it depicts.