Indian film producer and the former chairman of Central Board of Film Certification Pahlaj Nihalani’s recent comments regarding the film Marco indicate the rapid increasing concern across the Indian film industry about the depiction of violence.
He underlines that the public reactions to Marco, which included filing complaints and showing discomfort in the cinema hall during its showing, were crucial factors in his decision to withdraw the film from theatre.
Nihalani pointed out that even though the film was sold based on its action, it still did not make a good impression on the audience because the gory scenes-those with the children being the worst-were too disturbing to watch.
Interestingly, Nihalani contrasted Marco with Animal, yet another release that had gone into the circuits for its very violent content. He argued, “Animal made it big on account of stars and kissing love scenes, though violence was plenty”.
This presents a more insightful understanding of why box office runs happen-it isn’t just blood and gore.
Although violence can be a great plot device, it is the emotional attachment created by the relatable characters and subplots of love that really does the trick in winning over audiences.
As filmmakers continue to explore this terrain, they need to ask themselves if their use of graphic content really resonates with audiences or pushes them away.
