Former Bishop of Kochi Diocese, Dr. Joseph Kariyil, has criticized three latest Malayalam films, namely, 'Aavesham', 'Manjummel Boys', and 'Premalu', for depicting heavy drinking, smoking and violence, thereby sending wrong signals to the younger generation. 

The glamorization of Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED), cigarette smoking and bouts of violence, is indeed most unfortunate and sends a wrong message to the youth. These three films were super hits meaning that a substantial segment of youth saw them and were impressed by the storyline and Bohemian behaviour of the heroes and villains.   

Alcohol is a toxic and psychoactive substance with dependence-producing properties. In many of Kerala’s social circles and clubs, alcoholic drinks are a routine part of the beverages served. 

Alcohol consumption contributes to 3 million deaths each year globally as well as to the disabilities and poor health of millions of people. Overall, harmful use of alcohol is responsible for 5.1% of the global burden of disease. Alcohol is the leading risk factor for premature mortality and disability among those aged 15 to 49 years, accounting for 10% of all deaths in this age group. Disadvantaged and especially vulnerable populations have higher rates of alcohol-related deaths and hospitalizations. Globally, alcohol consumption contributes to 3.3 million deaths and 5.1% of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), and its use is linked with more than 200 disease and injury conditions. 

Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) glamourized in films as a sign of masculinity, is defined as consumption of 60 or more grams of pure alcohol (6+ standard drinks in most countries) on at least one single occasion per month. HED has been linked to a myriad of both acute and more long-term negative health outcomes such as alcohol poisoning, injuries, pancreatitis, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease. 

Worldwide, 7.5% of alcohol drinkers have Heavy Episodic Drinking occasions on a monthly basis. In England, for example, it is estimated that 34% of men and 28% of women drink more than the recommended amount of alcohol at least 1 day of the week and 18% of men and 12% of women drink heavily. In the United States, it is estimated that 26.9% of people aged 18 and older are reported to have engaged in Heavy Episodic Drinking.

The addictive potential of alcohol is very high and cessation is challenging. Therefore, it is key that emphasis is placed on preventing the onset of alcohol use particularly at vulnerable young age. Men have higher odds of engaging in HED compared to women, mercifully the above films have not shown young girls drinking and smoking constantly. 

Heavy and problematic alcohol use among college students has become a serious public health issue in India. This alcohol consumption among the college student population is associated with numerous negative consequences such as assault, injury, risky sexual behavior, academic problems and property damage among others. There are only very few research papers that have explored the drinking trends among Indian students in the domains of normal use, harmful/hazardous drinking and alcohol dependency.

The American Dietary Guidelines for 2015-2020 do not recommend that people begin drinking alcohol for any purpose. Alcohol consumption is dramatically increasing among Kerala’s youth, due to factors such as freedom from family control, psychological stressors related to the demand to adapt to new environments, academia, and making new friends in the university. College students have been reported to consume alcohol to potentially relax or relieve tension, celebrate, and feel comfortable with the opposite sex. In college, young students are at a time of transition and experimentation, by indulging with alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs, and thereby exposing themselves to a wide range of health risks. Alcohol intake has a harmful impact on a number of medical conditions, including infectious diseases, cancer, neuropsychiatric disorders, cardiovascular diseases, pancreatic diseases, and unintentional and deliberate injuries. Alcohol consumption is a huge societal burden, resulting in financial losses, health hazards, hunger, crime-related expenditures, and productivity losses. 

Tobacco use is another big health threat the world has ever faced. It is estimated that there are more than one billion smokers in the world and most of them are in developing countries. Tobacco abuse is a precursor for disease and poverty among many communities. The tobacco industry uses addictive, poisonous nicotine to hook kids on its products. Nicotine is especially dangerous for young people’s developing brains, putting them at risk for a lifetime of addiction to tobacco and other substances, mental and physical health problems, and permanent changes to the brain.

Malayalam films have been at the forefront of making excellent movies that can be watched both internationally and locally. Due to online platforms, access to foreign films is very easy. The popularity of violent Korean films among youngsters is very high, hence Malayalam film directors and artists, are also compelled to depict hard-core violence, to attract viewers. The three latest Malayalam films in question, depict non-stop violence, accompanied by heavy drinking and smoking by both, the protagonist and the antagonist. Even the popular Rajinikanth movie ‘Jailor’ had inhuman scenes of bloody killings and mutilations of dead bodies that are unbearable to watch.

Filmmakers and story writers should bear in mind the impact that their film stories, full of violence, are under the influence of liquor and tobacco, and how it is going to impact society and the coming generations.

The role of the Censor Board and the certifying members, need to come in for sharp scrutiny. While the films constantly show chain-smoking, is it sufficient to show in small print in one corner of the screen that “smoking is injurious to health”? All sorts of disclaimers are shown at the beginning of the movie, to escape legal action. One film glorifying drinking, smoking and violence, nullifies the efforts of thousands of health workers, social workers, and religious teachers, in one stroke. Seeing the success of the three films in question, many more such films are shortly bound to hit the screens, which will be detrimental to society at large. 

Douglas A. Gentile, in ‘Media Violence and Children: A Complete Guide for Parents and Professionals, 2nd Edition’ states  “Early estimates indicated that the average American child or teenager viewed 1,000 murders, rapes, and aggravated assaults per year on television alone”. 

To conclude in the words of Martin Luther King Jr: "The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth”. 

The author is former Director General of National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics