Essays

The first time I saw a martial arts film in a local cinema, I told myself that I wanted to be a great fighter like Bruce Lee. In my mind I was already a hero just waiting for an opportunity to show off my fighting skills. In my obsession I enrolled in a local Karate School to learn how to punch, kick and generally dispatch persons with ease.

What I experienced in the school was totally different from what I imagined it to be. In the first place, I learnt that there is no heroism, involved in fighting. Only fools fight among themselves. Furthermore, they get broken hands and bruises all over the body for nothing. Learning karate is an arduous task. It requires discipline and perseverance. After all the tough sessions in the 'dojo', a karate practitioner will have no desire to go out of his way to fight with anybody. He knows what the consequence can be, so he avoids a fight.

So from this aspect, I would certainly say that films are harmful. They gave me a wrong idea of what martial arts is all about. It is with a bit of sadness when sometimes I see young kids showing off what little knowledge of fighting they have. I was lucky to have a good teacher who taught me the inner aspects of martial arts. I learnt to be humble and gentle, far different from the arrogant film hero who could kill a hundred bad guys without batting an eyelid.

Violence on television and in. films also do a lot of harm to the viewers. One film that I saw, was nothing but a tale of murder after murder. People got killed all over the place by all sorts of methods. Guns, knives, bombs and other types of killing tools were displayed unceasingly. It was like a feat where killing is the main activity. I actually felt sick and disorientated halfway through the show to retain some semblance of sanity. How would the film affect all those who sat through the whole show? I am sure their brains were filled with images of violence. I only hope they do not go out and imitate what they saw.

On a lighter side, we can see how films and television programmes have determined the way we live. We use phrases like 'bhai' and 'tapori' in our everyday conversation. Where did we learn to use them from? We patronize fast-food restaurants. We give each other nicknames like 'Munna' and behave as though we are as tough as 'Krrish', we go dating and dance in discotheques. We ride our bicycles like John Abraham does. We dress like a movie star and we colour our hair like them. What else can I say? We are all living a life of unrestrained imitation of what we see on television and in films.

Not all these influences are harmful. It is when they are carried out to extremes that we lose touch with ourselves and begin living in a fantasy world.

In real life, nobody can go on fighting with an axe embedded in his abdomen. Only film heroes can do that. Also we cannot hope to defeat fifty opponents without shedding a drop of sweat. People get killed in real-life car crashes. Only film heroes escape with minor scratches. Reality has little to do with such shows.

Fortunately, not all films and television programmes are harmful. Documentaries and educational programmes are definitely beneficial. I learnt many things about wildlife and our planet. By watching these shows, I learnt about other people, their customs and traditions. In short, these programmes gave me a better perspective of the world we live in, the dangers we face, our heritage and the responsibilities we have in order to live in peace.

So it is up to us, the viewers, to decide what type of programmes we want to watch. You can fill your brains with all sorts of crap about violence and killing, or you can learn more about yoursell and the world so that you can truly live like what nature intended you to.