Impact of Cinema on Society

Ashvin P. Dabhi

Roll no. - 06

SEM - IV

Paper no.E-C-404

Year – 2011-12

Topic: Impact of cinema on society

Submitted to Dr. Dilip Barad

Department of English,

Bhavnagar University.

Introduction:

            
           There have been several definitions of cinema. There is one definition of cinema that it happens to be the greatest medium of entertainment. There is another definition of cinema that it is a medium that does reflect the true mood of the society and also that changing reality. In accordance with several experts, the Indian cinema does fit in the last definition and in the best manner. Without a doubt Indian cinema has played a major role hitherto and through decades it has also the most appreciated medium of entertainment.

          
          Now the question remains whether it has been the medium of entertainment only or of something else. Surely you are interested to know the definition of this word. The Indian cinema has changed through times and has always tried to cope with the changing reality. If we take the main stream cinema or simply Bollywood into consideration, it will be found that lots of changes have occurred. Popular perception did change and the unrestrained Indian youth started to find its own replica in the celluloid through the angry heroes. The subsequent decodes did not bring any change even if violence and vulgarity became a part and parcel of the Indian cinema and the same is in full vigor at the moment. Perhaps, the Indian cinema has been gratifying the changing reality.

          
             Society and cinema are replicate of each other. In present scenario the major cinema is Bollywood. In society gets influenced by what is shown on the silver screen, the Bollywood always tries to serve what either exists or is demanded by the society. So Bollywood cannot be blamed alone for the change in the society. We Indians are more affected by the television and cinema. It is mostly the children and youth who try to mimic what we see in the cinemas. The present scenario of Indian cinema is not so good as we are moving towards development and our present generation is very sensitive. If cinema continues to show vulgarity, the present and future generation is all set to adopt it.

           
              The twentieth century has many scientific inventions to its credit. The cinema occupies an important place among them. In the beginning cinema pictures were movies only that are only movement but no sound. Such pictures were called silent motion picture. The silent motion pictures were shown with the help of projectors. But with the invention of the photo-electric cell, it became possible to introduce the sound track in the films. The pictures were not only ‘moves’ but ‘talkies’ as well. The talkies became very popular within a very short time. Before the advent of the cinema, the drama or stage-acting was regarded as the most popular source of entertainment. The cinema is a powerful and effective means of communication. Because of its audio-visual characteristic it has a great mass appeal. Such a powerful and effective means of communication can be gainfully utilised in a verity of ways. This most popular source of entertainment for millions of people can be used as an instrument for creating public awakening. In our society there are many practices and traditions which are based on ignorance and which have withheld the progress of our society. Rigidity of caste system, untouchability, dowry system and purdah system has done enormous harm to our society. Cinema films can do a lot to eradicate these evils. They can be used for promoting national integration, prohibition, inter-castes marriages, family planning, eradication of literacy etc. such themes can help the transformation of our society. Many successful experiments have been made in various countries on the utility of films as a means of education. Feature films have been produced for school and college students and students are being benefitted by them. Cinema films have the power to influence the thinking of the people. They have changed the society and social trends. They have introduced new fashions in society. They can create a direct impact on our social life.

         
                 In our country cinematography has been developed as an art and the film industry is an organized industry. It is a foreign exchange earner industry. Many Indian films have won international awards. This gift of science has some disadvantages, too. It is a force and has the power to influence the society. So a film which depicts scenes of moral degradation or which violates our moral standards does immense harm to our society. The films produced on the western trends or the films which try to preach western moral standards are producing a bad effect on our younger generation. So the producers of films and the film censors owe a great responsibility to society. The film producers should try producing formula pictures. Consciously or unconsciously, there are many aspects of a movie that we extract and include in our way of living. Movies like ‘Babul’ raising issue of widow remarriage or those like ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’ depicting Indian cultural values of respect for parents’ views tend to make us wonder if movies are merely about entertainment. There are several medium budget movies, especially from the new generation director like Madhur Bhandarkar and Prakash Mehra that induce us to question lives around us. These movies encourage us to consider the social institutions and develop awareness about the rights and duties of people about which knowledge could not be generated even by government programs.

         
                     The new wave of Indian cinema has more arduously started experimenting with new topics that are closer to our lives. Hence, you can realize the extent to which Bollywood mobile influences the real world and your child decides in the modern times when your child decides against studying engineering after they watch the newest movie 3 Idiots. Film ‘Goal’ is about resilience and courage. It is about how you rebuild yourself and bounce back to life amidst adversity. We are trying to convey this through a football match. It is about human drama. It is about the triumph of the human spirit when adversity strikes. Football is merely the medium to express these ideas.

           
               There are very less movies in Bollywood that highly promote good moral values or we can say patriotic values. Hence, it is obvious that it will give a bad impact on today’s youth. Not only the youth will suffer from this, but the society will also suffer because of this. It can also be said that the youth and the society have already started suffering and facing problems because of tis. To prevent all this things, it is necessary for the Bollywood industry to first understand the purpose of broadcasting. Bollywood should understand that broadcasting is the best medium to reach public’s heart. But they should not misuse it. They have the best opportunity to spread food ideas and social awareness thing. This will improve the social thinking of every human and will also make them love them their country. This will stop them from adopting wrong things and will force them to do good things. Hence, producer’s story writers and directors should first think about the required social awareness and should make it a point that they show good things to the youth.

          
         As we know movies belongs different genres like action, thriller, suspense, romantic, art, spiritual patriotic etc. It comprises of songs, fighting and many more things. There are many good producers who have shown good movies in bollywood to the public. The legend of Bhagat Singh, Hey Ram etc. was some of the good patriotic movies. Chakde India and Taare Zameen Par are movies that teach some good things to the society. If at all, people in bollywood industry think of making good movies like the above said movies. Then they might help the formation of good culture in Bollywood movies. Bollywood should prefer to show movies that teach good lessons to the people.

          
             As we are the one who watch these movies, we must raise this issue of avoiding movies whose impact is negative on today’s society. Instead of watching the boring Saas Bahu serial we can demand for the social awareness serials even. Saas Bahu serial are just for increasing the TRP and they do not depict practical life. Practical life is different from what we see in these serials.

Films depict historical, mythological and social themes bearing on Indian lives, whether of the past or the present make a special appeal to the people. The cinema has been found to be the present make a special appeal to the people. The cinema has been found to be the most effective method of exposing social evils such as dowry system. Civil sense and the general morality are engendered through them. The political awareness, fight the masses is largely contributed by cinema as a means of propaganda, publicity and advertisement its services are invaluable and it must be preserved and fostered cot all costs.

        
                Apart from its various advantages, cinema is not free from its civil effects. Film artistry is compelled to compromise with people’s popular taste and appeal to their problems and with the ways of the criminals is now shown. These are apt to affect public morality. The cinema has far reaching effect upon the youth of the country. The films make them prematurely sex-conscious and they start reacting to the scenes of romantic pictures in their regular life. The youth imitating all sorts of fashions from the film lead to the development of expensive tastes and manners.

Conclusion:-

          
                Indian culture is very well known for culture and tradition. It is now moving towards fashion and imitation. Nowadays, it is seen that people are trying to imitate what they see. Most of the things that they imitate belong to what they watch on television and on big screens. Bollywood is the craze for the youth now.  Movies are produced with low moral values. Very easily, the actors in the movies are shown consuming liquors and cigarettes. Youth considers this as fashion and then they start imitating the same. Also in Bollywood clothes which are worn by the stars are imitated by the youth.