‘It’s not our fault, Modi,’ says T’wood

While Prime Minister Modi blames the film industry for the ‘bad image’ the public has about the police, members from the Telugu cinema industry deny it and say all they are doing is reflecting reality

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, “The film industry has created a very bad image of the police in the minds of the common man and I ask them-why? Yes, there may be some shortcomings but should only that be highlighted? Is it not our duty to remove these shortcomings by bringing into light the positive and good things?”

However, popular Telugu cinema producer Daggubati Suresh Babu says that the statement “carries no weight” and adds, “In every field there is corruption. But that doesn’t mean any form of media influences it. You can’t blame literary forms like books or cinema for influencing public mindsets. In fact, there are many good films about cops.”

Actor Sundeep Kishan who plays a cop in one of his upcoming films reflects the view and says, “There is a good and bad to the society. While films do portray the bad side of the police force, there are many films that glorify to them. There are people who are inspired to become police officers watching films. In fact, as a kid even I wanted to become one!”

He adds, “Cinema is just a narrative medium. And we narrate what is actually happening around. Nothing that is cooked up.”

‘Panjaa’ actor Adivi Sesh is of the view that public doesn’t have a bad image about the police. “Even if they do… the opinion is more due to what they see in everyday life than what the movies show,” he explains.

But there are others, who say that instead of blaming the movies it’s time they do something to set the system right and change people’s opinions. One of them is producer Thammareddy Bharadwaj who says, “We are trying to show what’s happening in the society. That’s what films do. So rather than blaming this medium, they should try to make the situation better.”

Another filmmaker who is of the same opinion is Vijay Kumar Konda who says, “People’s perceptions are due to what they see in day-to-day life. So if things change, their perceptions will change too. I personally don’t think society can be influenced by movies alone.”