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Coping with the reel cops

DEVAYANI MEDHEKAR finds out if the reel cops in Malayalam films affect the image of the police

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Do our cops get a raw deal on the silver screen?

Yes, feel some senior police officers in Kerala. Many films have turned the reel police officers into buffoons while some show them as corrupt men who are evil personified. Then there are the super cops, who spew lengthy dialogues and make mincemeat of the villains, all single-handedly.

IGP Arun Kumar Sinha says: "There is a tendency on the part of film directors to portray policemen either as corrupt, criminal or comic elements. This erodes the confidence of the viewers in the police system... I don't think the portrayals resemble real-life cops."

Notable exceptions

On the other hand, IGP Rishi Raj Singh and ADGP Jacob Punnoose, while acknowledging the exaggerated portrayals, say that not all movies depict stereotyped images of the police. Films like `Pauran,' `Inspector Balram,' `Tiger' and `Eenaadu' were notable exceptions to the rule.

"Films like `Yavanika' did, to a large extent, portray police work in true light," feels Punnoose.

However, DIG R. Sreelekha and S.P. P.T. Nandakumar aver that movies are a source of entertainment and no one should expect them to be realistic. IGP Senkumar presents another interesting point of view: "Portrayal of the police is subject to which hero plays the character... If actors like Mammooty, Mohanlal or Suresh Gopi are playing the (police officer) role, the character will be positive."

However, DIG Padmakumar adds, "The Suresh Gopi type of heroes give rise to exaggerated expectations... "

Concurring with him is ADGP V.R. Rajiven who says that people have started asking "Why can't the real police personnel behave like Suresh Gopi or Mammootty?"

However, many of them say that it is primarily the behaviour and performance of the police and not films that create the image of the police. They add that a negative image might affect the attitude of the people, which, in turn, might affect the work of the police.

Rishi Raj Singh, however, feels that "in no way does the image of the police in movies affect their performance. Both the public and police know what is depicted in films is a fictional account shown primarily to make the story entertaining."

When the heroine is a police officer

But the story undergoes a change if the heroine dons the role of a policewoman. As film editor and deputy director of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, Bina Paul Venugopal, puts it: "A woman in any powerful position is often viewed in a negative light ... whether as a police officer, a politician or a business magnate... they are often portrayed as general misfits who have to sacrifice their power to be `good women' !"

K.C. Chandrahasan, managing director of Kerala Travels, shares this view. He adds, "In most Malayalam films, women police are for the most part female characters in police uniforms for the super heroes to spew their dialogues at."

But Sreelekha believes that "women cops in films are generally presented in a good light with a few exceptions."

She adds that Vani Viswanath's role, though slightly negative in certain films, still made a favourable impression on the minds of the people; so much so that they asked her why she was not as active as her filmi counterpart!

Asked whether filmmakers had a responsibility in portraying reality, Rajiven says, "People are generally interested in watching exaggerated versions and are seldom interested in real life. Otherwise why should we see the hero and heroine singing love songs and dancing around trees?"

Not all share this view. Senkumar feels that with proper research and by blending positive and negative traits of police, the script would not necessarily negate box office success.

Punnoose says, "Movies are for entertainment but of course realistic, responsible portrayal of agencies performing vital functions will be a great help (to the police)."

The debate goes on... Meanwhile the Bharatchandrans, Balrams and Sethurama Iyers continue to make the cash registers ring at the cinemas.

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