Movies have come a long way since the first illustrations and shorts in the early twentieth century. While some believe in the in stirring a change, others opine that a movie should just entertainment and nothing more. I , as I feel that movies possess the power to spread the voices of the unheard over mainstream channels, and this essay explains the same.
Ever since India witnessed its first full-length motion picture “Raja Harishchandra”, cinema has become both a love affair for the cinephiles and a testament to human emotions. Nothing can come close to encapsulating the of K. Asif’s “Mughal-e-Azam”, or the teary eyes toward the end of James Cameron’s “Titanic”. But, a cinematic experience has further evolved into inculcating educational values and spreading social messages. For instance, the Alia Bhatt – Shah Rukh Khan starrer “Dear Zindagi” gives us some important anecdotes on mental illnesses, especially depression, in a country where discussing psychological issues is still taboo. Apart from giving voice to topics that are neglected, movies possess the ability to give them a stage, relevance, everything culminating into an educating experience for the watcher. Further, they not only represent the age in which they are made but also encourage people to learn more about the historical events that are being shown on the screen, like in the period dramas and biographies.
On the other hand, an argument can be made against it. For instance, movies can be used to spread propaganda. World War II-era German films are often accused of this. Another argument suggests that movies can also go wrong in approaching a sensitive topic, thus drawing public ire. As a result, simply put, movies should focus on entertaining the masses. Moreover, movies don’t always explore the complete depth of a very important topic, portraying the skimmed portion of the top, thus risking the events wherein misinterpretation occurs.
Personally speaking, I am a proponent of freedom of speech. Hence I believe that the sentiments of anyone, movies spreading educational values is indeed a positive thing that should be empowered and promoted.