The NewSense

January 5, 2010

Mumbai: As many as 18 students of Seth GS Medical College have been arrested and later released on bail, on charges of ragging. Reports say that the nature of the ragging incident in a medical college was similar to a scene in Aamir Khan-starred 3 Idiots.

On Monday the city was stunned by three cases of student suicides, including of two minors, in the past 24 hours.
In the first instance, a 20-year old medical student was found dead in her flat in the up-market Powai area of north-west Mumbai in the morning. No suicide note was recovered from the site, police said. A first year medical student of D.Y. Patil College in Navi Mumbai had reportedly failed in two subjects in her term examinations. A 13-year-old student of the prestigious Shardashram Boys High School in Dadar west also committed suicide. The boy was a student of Class 7 and reportedly took the extreme step as he had failed in some subjects. His body was discovered by some teachers in the toilet after he was found missing during the daily roll-call. This was followed by the suicide of an 11-year old girl after her parents refused her permission to participate in a television reality show and took her off dance tuitions. She had earlier taken part in a reality TV dance show, wanted to pursue her dancing career. However, her family was opposed to her hobby as it played havoc with her school studies. Reports say that these suicides were also inspired by “3 idiot” movie as the youngster had apparently watched 3 Idiots twice on Sunday – the film portrays an engineering student who failed in his exams hanging himself to death from his hostel room. On Monday, he hanged himself to death with a nylon rope in the toilet of his school premises.

Now the government of Maharashtra feels that if “3 idiots” was found to have “provocative” scenes which could have prompted the suicides and ragging incidents in the city, then the state government would write to the central board of film censors to review the film and take necessary steps. Is it not a stupid move by the government? There are thousands of movies gets released every year in India and every movie has one or the other scenes which are not considered as positive for the society. Can we review every movie in that angle then? Government reactions show as if the ragging and suicide are new methods introduced by the movie. After all movie has taken it from this idiotic society only. These ‘idiotic acts’ are not invented by Raju Hirani or Chetan Bhagat (whoever owns the original story). Are the people of India are so stupid that they can’t differentiate between real life and reel life? Of course many movies get inspired by the real life and inventive scenes are nothing but taken from real life from some corner of the society. Ragging scenes were there in the past also in many movies. Why govt did not think of banning or reviewing then? Now that some idiots have followed the method shown in the movies what is the fault of “3 idiot”?

There is a lot of debate happening in the media about the positive aspects of movie like the quality of higher education system in India, stress applied on students by teachers and parents, the problem with ranking system and doing what we feel, love and enjoy rather than what society wants us to become. If movie had no positive message in it then probably it would have not made so much news and collection. The credit of the success of this movie should go to the “3 idiots” who have acted in it and its idiotic but intelligent team. If the society fails to get a positive message from the movie, who’s fault? It is society which is acting stupidly. The movie being most practical it attracts youth of India and it really sends positive message across our society. Except arranging vacuum cleaner normal delivery rest all is very well in the movie. But government should not cesarean (censor) the normally delivered movie.

There were many movies in the past where our ministers are shown as being corrupt to the highest possible level and they are portrayed as anti social elements. Why govt did not think of reviewing such movies? These movies could have inspired many ministers to become corrupt. But in reality it is truth that movies are being inspired by these kinds of ministers.  Movies only take scenes from the society and its system. Criticizing such “chamatkari” movie is like being “balatkari” to it. So let us do not do it. Let us give the credit where it is due. Though these ragging and suicides are unfortunate and movie might have shown the ‘idiotic and stupid’ souls the way to do it but it is not the fault of the movie at all. If at all people had to take something from the movies then they would have taken what frustrated Indian youths did to minister in “rang de basanti”. There were many such movies which if society and youth of India had taken as inspiration then it would have changed the nation long back. Any attempt of society to review or censor or ban this movie will be like pissing on the live electric wire. You know what happens then, if not please watch the movie “3idiots”………..it is really idiotic.