Double standard of Kerala’s filmmakers on drug abuse

Drug abuse among actors is now a hotly debated controversial subject in Malayalam film industry. It is not to be forgotten yet that film makers approached the actors’ guild alleging that drug abuse among young actors was incurring heavy losses to them. Subsequently, the people concerned apologized and settled the issue. Now the producers’ association has warned of strict action as actors’ drug abuse is seriously affecting film production. Some film outfits and individuals associated with movies are calling upon the government to intervene and arrest people doing drugs. However, Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh said searching movie sets for drugs based on hearsay is not possible. The minister said there will be action with little leniency on any sector if any tipoff is received on the use of drug. It is not known if producers’ association handed any list of drug addicts more than mentioning two actors by their names.

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It is true that drug mafia has made deeper inroads in both movie industry and society at large, turning a lot of young people into addicts in its wake. Aside from the worries of the movie makers, the law takes a backseat even as intoxicants are sold and distributed in revelries known as DJ parties. Authorities are either silent or spies. Despite murders involving drugs the government remains silent. Following the Producers Association’s insistence, the government has stepped up surveillance. Now filmmakers say that movie sets are calmer, thanks to their firm stance. The financial loss incurring to them from actors’ drug abuse is their only concern. There is little concern about young men and women turning Kerala into Latin American countries like Mexico. The actors’ guild ‘ Amma’ led by mega-superstars has no concern about drug addiction happening amongst its members. Contextually enough, a leading actor has revealed that his wife barred their son from taking up a movie break for fear of drug abuse on the sets.

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Now 'Amma' has taken the position of not showing any leniency to drug abuse by actors. The new amendment to the outfit’s constitution has specified that there should be no use of alcohol or drug on the sets and no resort to misbehaviour in public places. Those who have such disrepute will find it hard to get membership in the organization. A situation has come where the crux of the problem is no more the delayed release of the film or resulting financial loss. The question is if nobody is worried about the enlightened Kerala’s educated youths losing their intellect and physical strength to drug, thus heading towards the cesspit of self-destruction including suicide. On the one hand the government is carrying out extensive awareness campaign against drug abuse, while increasing the number of bars, liquor shops and toddy shops for revenue. It is run on the revenue from the alarmingly increasing consumption of alcohol. Who does not know that drug use, especially by the younger generation even in classrooms without fear, is a natural result of a liberal liquor policy? On the other hand, the movies that allure them idolize open drinking and drunken antics that follow. Films are becoming the medium for the spread of all evils where it should have been against them. Fighting the actors’ drug abuse on the basis of losses they incur, without any effective defence against this dangerous vicious cycle, will only aggravate the situation.