Ram Gopal Varma rejects blaming films for rise in violence
The filmmaker compared the criticism of cinema to blaming the Ramayana for kidnappings following a school attack in Andhra Pradesh.
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma dismissed the idea that movies are responsible for real-life crimes on X on Sunday. He stated that attributing the increase in violence to cinema is comparable to blaming the Ramayana for the rise in kidnappings.
His comments follow a chainsaw attack at Raptadu Zilla Parishad High School in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. According to India Today, a 21-year-old man named Hemanth entered a Class 10 classroom around 10 am on Saturday and attacked a 15-year-old girl. Another student was also injured while trying to protect her.
The victim was moved from Anantapur Government General Hospital to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru for medical care. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu described the incident as barbaric and said he was monitoring the girl's recovery.
The remarks have sparked debate among social media users. Some argued that cinema influences society and shapes perceptions, while others accused filmmakers of glorifying brutality and making violent characters appear heroic.
The discussion has also involved criticism of filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga and scenes from his film Animal. One user noted that the film features a scene where Ranbir Kapoor enters a classroom with a gun, linking such portrayals to the influence on young minds.