Let the blood spill!

doweshowbellyad=0; Ajay Devgan in ‘Apaharan’ (TOI Photo)If you have heard of antidotes, then believe in this.
A study paper presented by two researchers at the annual meeting of the American Economic Association says that violent films prevent violent crime because the on screen violence presented in the darkened, alcohol free environs acts as a catharsis.The researchers conclude that instead of fuelling up in bars and roaming around making trouble, potential criminals pass prime hours watching celluloid villains slay. The crux of the study is that if we take away violent movies, there would be an increase in violent crimes. The study is backed by statistics, which say that showing of violent films in the US has decreased assault cases by an average of about 1,000 every weekend, or 52,000 a year. NT speaks to some experts to check out whether such findings hold water.
‘A piece of fiction’
Commenting upon the hypothesis, actor Manoj Bajpai who has acted in gory films like Satya- The Other side Of Truth and Shool says, "Watching too much of violence on screen can surely have an effect upon a person's psyche. I agree that seeing a film filled with violence may have a calming effect on those who are too aggressive, aakhir zeher he zeher ko marta hai."
'It’s about social angst'
Filmmaker Prakash Jha who has made films like GangaaJal - The Holy Weapon and Apaharan feels that a film filled violence only depicts the reality unfolding in the society. Says the director, "It would be wrong to term a film like GangaaJal or even Apaharan or Mrityudand as violent. Actually the films in this genre reflect the social angst prevalent in the society, thus there are many who identify with them. Films often mirror the evils existing in our immediate environment. And if the victims of such a malaise feel that someone is taking up their cause through the medium of cinema, it creates a feeling of being a part of the society."
'Who’s playing the villain matters'
It is not just about violence in a film, which tends to affect the mind of a criminal viewing it. Explaining the working of such a theory, sociologist Dr Deepankar Gupta says, "A lot depends upon who is portraying the role of a criminal or engaging in violence on screen. The quintessential rogue with crooked teeth and a black eye would have a negative impact and could possibly provoke them to commit crimes, but an iconic figure like Robert De Niro, indulging in violence could possibly have a cathartic effect on the audience. For instance, Ajay Devgan's character in the film Company - A Law and Order Enterprise, is not identified as a violent one. He is perceived as a heroic character indulging in violent acts, which can definitely have a calming effect on the criminals."
'Pinpointing a cause is difficult'
Terming the finding as a hypothesis, Varghese Devasia, Professor, Criminology, says, "Crime rates depend on the internal and external controls acting upon the criminals. It is difficult to attribute any one reason to the drop in crime rate. Besides, the definition of a crime varies from one country to another."