Professional Report - Smoke Free Movies

3.5 Cinema and Youth
“Heroes and icons for children are either from films or sports. No other sector begins to compete,” says a study
by the Cartoon Network Channel. A five-city study among 1,000 children aged 6-12 years found that Amitabh
Bachchan is the most popular icon among this group. This -can perhaps -be attributed to the success of Kaun
Banega Crorepati, which has resurrected the fading star of the 1970s in a new avatar: as anchor of the hugely
popular TV game show, modeled on the lines of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Significantly, the study
revealed that both action films and TV soap operas are popular with children in this age group. The study
commented: “Titanic continues to be the favorite film despite the fact that the film was released over three
years ago….The fact that it has been shown repeatedly on different TV channels at frequent intervals could
also be the reason for its popularity. It has been dubbed in Hindi and therefore has a wider reach.” 20
• Table 3-3 Percentage choice between films
Choice Between Films (%)
Film Overall Ahmedabad Delhi Hyderabad Kolkata Lucknow
Mission Kashmir 23 27 20 21 23 27
Hum dil de chuke
sanam
17 20 11 27 13 17
Titanic 35 25 39 32 48 29
Raju Chacha 23 27 29 20 13 27
Source: Unesco/UNICEF/CFAR
Cinema’s influence on youth fashion and style can be traced back to the 1950’s and 1960’s. Dev Anand’s
puffed hair, Sadhana’s fringe, Rajesh Khanna’s guru shirt have all had an impact on the fashion scene of the
day. Following the release of Bobby in the 1970s, Bobby accessories – from hairpins to handbags – became
the rage. When Kuch Kuch Hota Hai became a blockbuster hit, teenagers were seen sporting and exchanging
“friendship bands” and the Tommy Hilfiger/GAP look became a teenage fashion statement. Post-Dil Chahta
Hai, the gelled haircut-and-goatee of Aamir Khan was flaunted by youngsters in the major metros. During the
Durga Puja celebrations of 2002, Devdas saris were quite the rage among young women in Kolkata.
In fact, mainstream cinema in India has the power to influence not just youth fashion but it also provides cues
against which today’s audiences can validate their value systems. To give an example – the trend of feel-good
movies highlighting family values has emerged in the late 1990s. These films celebrate traditional customs like
Karva Chauth but -give it a veneer of sophistication and modernity. Says an advertising professional: “The
Yash-Chopra genre of movies has today turned Karva Chauth into an Indian version of Valentine’s Day. No
longer is it an obscure ritual performed by dutiful wives that sermonizes about wives’ sacrifice; it has become
celebratory in nature.” What’s more, many a time characters in films also provide youngsters with role models
or ‘ideals’. “I liked Jaya Bachchan’s role in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. She –is the ideal mother – who loves
her son very much even though she - does not defy her husband,” a teenager proclaimed in a group
discussion. 21
In the South, film stars wield their influence on not just lifestyles and fashion but even in the political arena.
Several chief ministers of the state of Tamil Nadu have been former film personalities, including the present
chief minister Ms. J. Jayalalitha. Tamil Nadu has the distinction of being the only state in the country where
cinema viewers have built “temples” for their favorite stars. One such film star is Rajnikanth who rose to
superstar status through a series of action films. Rajnikanth’s flamboyant screen persona – complete with a
scarf around his neck, an exaggerated swagger and a cigarette pack in his hand – has made him a darling of
the masses. His performance -is considered complete until he has performed his inimitable “cigarette trick” –
the act of tossing the cigarette into the mouth and lighting it Till today, youngsters and children try to imitate his
act.
20
“Media Violence and its Impact on Children”, a study by UNESCO, Unicef and CFAR
21
“What youth want,” BusinessLine, 17 October 2002.
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