'Ganja for Bengalis and synthetic for Malayalis': Actor Raveendran on changing trends and influence of cinema

KOCHI: Actor Raveendran says that the current situation is that cannabis is for Bengalis and synthetic drugs are for Malayalis. If you ask whether cinema influences the use of drugs, it is impossible to say no. However, Raveendran asks whether cinema alone influences it. He said that the main reason for all this is the growth of new media.

'The growth of new media is an important factor. Synthetic drugs came to Kerala all of a sudden. It is very dangerous. The new trend is that cannabis has become widely used by Bengalis, and synthetic drugs are used more by Malayalis. Media literacy is one of the most necessary things for us.

Let me give you an example. Don't all the MGR films contain swordsmanship and fight scenes? But MGR films have developed a society. Anna Durai's film was probably behind the creation of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu. The fight of good against evil was all shown through the film,' said Raveendran.

There was strong criticism in our society that films are influencing and aggravating increased drug use and violence in the state. Marco, directed by Haneef Adeni, was denied permission to be shown on TV. The permission was denied due to the excessive violence in the film. The film's producer, Sharif Mohammed, had announced that he would not make violent films like Marco again.