Can Indian Cinema play an important role in promoting road safety?

[GTO]

Here's another thing Bollywood can do - be a role model for others by setting an example.

Remember how the ever-classy John Abraham injured 2, but made it a point to take them to the hospital himself? Hat's off. Don't want to start a debate, but it was the exact opposite of what Salman Khan did:

The actor's counsel, Abad Ponda, earlier said there was no negligence or rashness in Mr. Abraham's driving and the injuries to the two victims were simple in nature. He said the actor had himself taken the victims to hospital after the accident.

Source

[cp171185]

Exactly the point. You can not do whatever you want once you become public figure etc. You own some kind of responsibility automatically once you reach that point. It is as simple as that. People are watching you, at least for your safety take precautions, for God's sake! Accident do happen, but that does not mean one will let it happen. One should always try to eliminate it, that is where safety precaution comes! I dont understand one point, what's the problem with saving own's life. I simply dont understand.

Contrary in one scene of recent movie (Secret superstar) characters playing by Aamir khan & co-actress both were wearing seat-belts.. hope the same will be followed by other movies.

[Lone Ranger]

Originally Posted by GTO

Movies won't - they are in the business of entertainment.

This is the crux of the matter. Movies exist primarily to entertain. Of course, there are those movies which go beyond this premise and also highlight a social ill/need for change etc. But they only form a small part of all the types of movies that are made every year.

Imagine if we start looking at our movies with a magnifying glass. Two potential problem areas would be

1) How to handle bad guys - the movie way would have us bash them up in the streets. I am all for the elimination of bad guys but I don't think the movie of my life would be very long if I took this activity up

2) How to woo the girl of your dreams - Until recently at least, the movie way almost without exception demands that you completely neglect your studies, be a local rowdy (but a lovable one), and dance in the street with your mates until the lady gives up and agrees to be yours.

Movies as a medium to educate is therefore a risky business. Not to mention that whenever you try and implement something like this with good intentions, you will create a committee of people who interpret it in the most ridiculous way possible and make it pretty much impossible to make a half decent masala movie. I do not like watching these movies at all, but that is a matter of personal taste, not because of any 'social ills' they might promote.

I was in Vadodara recently on work and noticed that almost no one wore seatbelts. I am sure it is not because people in Vadodara are less intelligent or safety conscious than people in Delhi. It is only the fact that the rule is enforced in Delhi and it is not enforced in Vadodara. I am sure that if there is an announcement tomorrow that seatbelts are not mandatory anymore, some of my Delhi brethren would heave a sign of relief and rejoice! Added to that, I am absolutely certain that some car manufacturer would grab the opportunity to remove this from the list of standard equipment and offer a cut price model. So at the end of the day, I think we need to shove safety down people's throats until it becomes a little more ingrained in our systems!

[livetodrive]

Consider from the next movie release there are no car, bike stunts, no rash driving, everyone driving calm with helmets and seat belts on. Will that change us?

Never.

The point is not that whether movies and stars should be responsible or not. Even if they are responsible and clips are displayed for road safety on TVs and theaters, only one thing can make us straight and that is severe law and order. Which is implemented through automation (to avoid bribes) and asks for money and severe punishment. Period.

[Lobogris]

Cinema and television are extremely powerful medium in shaping public opinion and behaviour. Most of the products people aspire towards and purchase are due to advertisement and exposure via such media. I watch a lot of Korean TV and every single serial or movie has the actors wearing seatbelts and a mandatory comment from the the driver or the passenger asking the other to belt up before driving. There are many scenes where the hero lovingly reaches across to secure the seat belt of the actress and creates a bit of physical closeness in addition to ensuring safety. Similarly there are scenes of people refusing to drive after they drink. They are shown calling a friend, a driver or taking a taxi.

Now we all know that the media is only interested in making money. However, as they are in a position of holding so much power over the public and making a lot of money from it, we need legislation that mandates such public service scenes in each movie and each episode of soap operas. In addition, I would also recommend that the movie or serial should promote overall public good. For example, if a crime like a rape or murder is shown then it should be mandatory to spend at least double the time showing the consequences like the harm to the victim and their family and the punishment the criminal gets and how he / she then regrets the action. The same can be done with high speed chases and other bad driving practices. This can be accomplished without censuring the freedom of expression and can be easily integrated in to the story just like now-a-days advertising products are being integrated in to the stories. For example, a group of friends or a family is going on a drive and many refuse to wear seatbelts. Then the hero can explain the reasons or there can be a scene where they have a small crash or emergency braking leading to those without belts hitting the windscreen and getting injured and the one who wore the belt now seems to be the smart one. Similar scenes can be created for wrong side driving and so on. Imagine a scene where a woman is facing hardship as her husband / brother / father was killed due to wrong side driving. This person was warned by a friend or a policeman but continued doing it rather than going an extra 200 meters. There can be such small flashbacks taking just a couple of minutes but they will make an impact. In addition, media should inform about legal options available when facing injustice like courts, filing a police complaint etc rather than showing divine or extra judicial justice as that also leads to the public believing nothing can be done against the criminals. Some financial incentive can also be given for films and serials that include such messages in the form of tax breaks or even direct payment by the government.

[Rajeevraj]

I don't think movies can play any significant role in promoting road safety. Most movies are way too much focused on entertainment and make believe.

It would help a wee bit if atleast for regular driving scenes, the stars and other occupants are always shown wearing seat belts.

[spyder_p8]

Great thread. I appreciate your intentions. But i think this has nothing to do with what we portray in movies. In Hollywood, Jason Bourne and company drives like a maniac, destroys cars and zoom in bikes with helmets. The general public simply do not follow 0.001% of that because the penalties are extremely high. I live in Pune and pass through a state of the art road called Nagar road at least 10 times a week. I also have to drive through the (in)famous shastrinagar chowk. I bet the way those bikers behave even the Johns and Hrithiks will feel let down.

[PrasunBannerjee]

IIRC, there are movies where actors have been wearing helmets, a few instances in 3 idiots for an example. Though movies can spread awareness, but it's to an extent. For the more keen viewer (not pointing out to anyone) if the actors are shown wearing open face helmets (they gotta show their face/expressions at times depending on the scene's demand) things may point that actors are promoting open face helmets which are not that safe and crowd is following them in trends.

If Dhoom series would have all bike scenes with full face helmets, actors would have been partying as 90% of movie would have been done just with stunt doubles. However, audience can't much connect with them without seeing faces. You even don't see actors in the famous matrix bike chase scene in Hollywood.

IMO, The conclusion: every such scene, even if it's just the actor riding a bike to commute, should be treated as a basic level stunt (quite it is in today's road scenarios) and all such scenes can be watermarked with 'performed under controlled situations with trained personnel. Do not try' , or something similar, on similar lines to what Indian movies now-a-days do on 'Every' scene that involves smoking. Can be extended to road safety awareness ads similar to the famous 'Mukesh' ad being played before movies begin.

[subhro1988]

Originally Posted by cp171185

That’s why, legendary sportsman Sir Sachin Tendulkar once made a statement that , I will never ever endorse any liquor brand not even cigarette, guthka because I know people follow me, people get inspiration from me, I don’t want to spread any negative message to them.

Sachin Tendulkar promotes quite a lot about safe driving. On his Instagram account he often uploads videos, where he is sitting in the back seat of the car, with the seat belt on, asking pillion riders of bikes on road to wear a helmet.

[WhiteFang]

Now we have many new age directors trying to portray characters as real as possible. When most of the people do not wear seat belts and helmets in real life, showing something else in our movies will be a deviation, right?
Same is the case of abusive language.
I know it is a loop.

[satishv1987]

There is a a Tamil movie "Masss" in which the hero's friend is killed in a car accident. Before turning on the ignition, the hero implores his friend to buckle up but the latter , in a show of false bravado, refuses to do so. In a few minutes, their car meets with an accident.

This scene is the turning point in the movie and the humble seat belt saves our hero

[libranof1987]

I'm sure a lot of people have noticed that video where Sachin Tendulkar has rolled his window down and is telling those on two-wheelers to wear helmets: both rider and pillion. Sure, good idea spreading awareness.

But. If you go through the comments on that video posted on Facebook, there's some people asking him why he isn't wearing a seatbelt. Umm, probably because he's a celebrity and is anyway, God. So mortal rules don't apply to him.

Spectacular.

[giri1.8]

I don't expect movies to go out of their ways and promote road safety, but some of the scenes like sticking their head out of sun-roof could be avoided, I mean where else did people learnt that habit from ?

But frankly, problem lies with how rules are enforced and how people behave in general.

I don't see mentality of people ever changing ! actor does hundred good things in a movie, but in the end I just see their fans riding like crazy with the actor's name on their bike/ car, some even go to extend of having a sticker saying " I am x actor's fan don't you dare overtake" every time I see such people, my hope that our people would change just reduces bit by bit.

[cp171185]

I will refrain from quoting comments as doing so my comment will appear bigger than what exactly it is. However my view is:-

1) I fully agree on this point that, Law & order should be as stringent as possible to make things happen. No two-ways about it. But, that's not the point here. Point is, why at all movie characters are not following basic safety norms? Lets take a situation like this:- From today onward, wearing helmet is compulsory throughout the country. Tomorrow for the sake of showing expression, a movie is released where characters are not wearing helmet. Now what is the message public will get?

Some one pointed here, Sachin Tendulkar is promoting road safety on his own. I have personally seen that video, where Sachin is taking initiative to spread the awareness to the pillions, for wearing helmet ; not once twice! I guess some people like me (A Sachin Fan) will have immediate effect. At least better than spreading a wrong message. Isn't it?

You can check out the Video here:-

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbBzrODjJWf/

2) For showing expression of the scene movies are making like where characters are not wearing helmet right? I have solutions:- Cut the crap, no need to show romance on bikes. Try to accommodate other scenes in alternative way. Simply unavoidable scene? Look at this, how a junior/start-up YouTube channel is owning responsibility on wearing helmet, Watch till the end. They have dedicated a scene altogether to spread the correct message. Forget about one line disclaimer at the bottom, in the lowest font possible!

https://youtu.be/AurzmMhAfOo

PS: I am still thinking what can be the reason for not wearing seat belts in movies? Showing picture perfect garments may be? (you know seat belts can ruin the perfect crease of your garments & thereby ruin the scene!)

[theqca]

I agree with you that these sort of images do send the wrong message in terms of "it's cool to ride a motorcycle without a helmet" however in India our understanding of road safety was very different earlier.

That motorcycle that Shahrukh khan is riding in the photo that you've posted was owned by me - it was way back in 92 or 93 if I remember correctly. "No helmet" was considered normal back then. A helmet for rider and pillion was compulsory only for armed forces personnel and civilians who wanted to visit someone (or they had to leave the motorcycle outside).

Even today, in most of the non metropolitan cities that I visit, the usage of helmets is not very common.

Perhaps more awareness is needed