Indian Parents: Stop Taking Kids to Watch Violent Movies

In the last decade, I have been observing that many Indian parents are comfortable taking their kids to watch violent movies.

I cringe and feel sad whenever I see someone I know who exposes their kids to violent movies like “Pushpa” or “KGF”. Similarly, I have witnessed reels and videos of other parents who take their kids to watch violent and inappropriate movies.

If you are one of those parents, please rethink before doing this.

You may say, “Oh, it’s just a movie. What’s the harm in seeing a movie with my kids?” I am not talking about a family entertainer. I am talking about violent, action-packed movies that may seem harmless to us adults but can actually leave a lasting impact on young minds.

Why the Big Deal About Movie Violence?

Movies are powerful. Through stories, they evoke emotions in you and shape your perceptions.

Kids lack the maturity to figure out what they see in movies is fake, not real. As they are still making sense of the world, what they see in a movie can become a part of their reality.

Various studies have shown that repeated exposure to violent media can normalize aggression.

Violent scenes have the power to reduce empathy in your kids. Such scenes in a movie can increase the likelihood of children believing that violence is an acceptable solution to problems.

Let’s see what the American Academy of Pediatrics says about it (AAP, 2009). They state that children exposed to violent media show more aggressive behavior. Further, violent scenes can instill fear in the children, they may feel threatened that somebody may harm them. And that’s not all, such kids can become desensitized to violence.

Similarly, research by Huesmann and Taylor highlights that children who frequently watch violent television are more likely to develop aggressive tendencies that persist into adulthood.

Moreover, movies have the power to distort kids’ perception of reality. These kids may start viewing this world as more dangerous than it actually is. It is a phenomenon known as “mean world syndrome,” introduced by George Gerbner.

Once your kid is affected by this phenomenon, they suffer from increased anxiety fear, and a reluctance to trust others. With such significant psychological impacts, it’s clear why you as a parent need to be cautious about the content your kids consume.

Real-Life Examples

Remember when “KGF” hit the screens? It was a blockbuster, no doubt. The action, the larger-than-life hero – it all made for an entertaining experience for adults. But many parents took their young kids along.

I overheard a kid playing around saying, “Violence, Violence, Violence, I don’t like it, I Avoid… . but Violence likes me, I can’t Avoid”, the famous dialogue of the character Rocky bhai in the movie.

It seems innocent, but the kid is talking about the violence in the same swag as his hero.

Similarly, during the release of “Pushpa,” videos went viral of little kids imitating the aggressive mannerisms of the protagonist. I recently saw a 12 year old boy coming towards me cycling and saying the famous dialogue, “Pushpa hun mein. Saala jhukega nahin. Flower samjha hai kya?” The way he said it and ended it with a cursing word, I was concerned. It was no more cute for me. What message are they internalizing?

A more concerning example comes from “Animal,” a movie known for its hyper-violent sequences. Some parents took their children to watch it, thinking it was just another action film. Later, some teachers observed kids mimicking violent fight moves during school recess.

I am not saying that only Indian violent movies are impacting kids and teens, violent movies from Hollywood or other countries are also impacting their under-developed minds. The influence of Hollywood movies like “John Wick” and “The Dark Knight” has also led teenagers to idolize characters who resort to extreme violence for justice.

Such movies have the power to normalize and internalize the idea that physical aggression is a valid way to resolve conflicts.

And above all, most violent movies don’t show the repercussions of violence. After killing many people or beating many people, their lives remain normal at the end of the story, like it is shown in the “Animal” movie. Law and order are absent in most of these movies. Heroes face no consequences for their violent acts.

What do kids learn from these? That they can get away from aggression or violence too? Does it really happen like this in real life?

The Indian Parenting Perspective

Indian parents take immense pride in their parenting methods and in raising well-mannered, respectful, and kind children. We teach them to be compassionate towards others. We teach them to respect elders. We teach them that don’t fight and resolve conflicts peacefully.

Yet, when we expose our kids to movies that glorify violence, revenge, and toxic masculinity, what kind of messages are we giving to them?

Contradictory messages.

At one end, we teach them values like patience and kindness, and on the other, we let them watch movies where heroes solve their problems through fists, guns, knives, machetes, and aggression.

We teach our kids that evilness is bad but what they will learn when the hero they admire becomes evil? Parents teach their kids not to hit their siblings or friends, but what if they see their favorite movie character earn respect by beating up villains?

Such contradictions can be confusing for kids. When kids repeatedly watch violent movies, they may begin to believe that aggression is an acceptable, even admirable, way to deal with conflicts.

Kids see that adults in cinema halls hoot and celebrate heroes when a hero appears on screen aggressively and becomes violent. What do they observe? That showing attitude, appearing and talking aggressively, cursing, and beating someone is fun.

Parents can’t ignore the fact that Indian films, especially action films, often portray violence as an essential trait of masculinity. Boys, in particular, may internalize the idea that being a “man” means being physically dominant. Over time, this can normalize aggression in young minds. Later on in life, this can affect how they perceive and form relationships and friendships.

Furthermore, Indian violent movies are glorified revenge stories. Such stories can influence your kids that seeking vengeance is justified and necessary to uphold one’s honor.

Don’t you think it is problematic? Think again and you will find out that young minds are giving less value to forgiveness and communication and focusing more on hostility and retaliation. Look around and you will notice what I am talking about.

Moreover, many Indian movies romanticize the idea of “teaching someone a lesson” through violence. What would happen to young minds who are absorbing such scenes? What would be their approach to handling conflicts in real life? You know the answer.

So What Can We Do Instead?

1. Choose Age-Appropriate Movies: Opt for movies that are family entertainers. Opt for movies that entertain without unnecessary violence. You can opt for educational movies, adventure movies, and sports movies where children can learn about life, discipline, or courage. Further, some good animated movies are entertaining and teach kids too.
2. Watch Together and Discuss: If you do watch a movie with some violence, talk about it afterward. Ask your child how they felt and explain why violence isn’t a solution. Tell them that there are always repercussions of violence. They don’t go unpunished in real life.
3. Be a Role Model Parent: Kids learn a lot from observing their parents. If you handle conflicts with patience and empathy, your kid may also learn to mimic the same. If you show aggression, your kid will mimic your behavior too. When kids witness adults glorifying aggressive heroes, they learn the wrong lessons.

Our kids are growing up in a world already exposed to too much aggression. Aggression and violence in prime-time news channels. Aggression and violence in social media posts. Aggression and violence are shown by people on the streets.

So as parents, let’s protect our kids’ innocence a little longer. Next time you plan a movie outing, check out its ratings. See if the film aligns with the values you want your child to learn. Violent and aggressive heroes must not be the real role models to your kids.

After all, heroes can be brave, strong, and cool without spilling blood.