Salil Gewali
Can society laugh away filthy jokes and obscenities?
How one wishes for individuals to climb the ladder of success without compromising their integrity. But in a digital world where virtue struggles to compete with vice, too many have instead stooped to exploiting base carnal desires and controversy just to attract more eyeballs. The recent uproar over Ranveer Allahbadia’s incestuously filthy remarks on ‘India’s Got Latent’ is a glaring example of this trend.
Well, I personally admire Ranveer for his impressive intellectual calibre as a YouTuber with over 10 million subscribers. However, his obscene question to the contestants offended many, proving that academic achievements alone do not make a person responsible or morally sound. Even Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma have expressed their anger at Ranveer Allahbadia’s cheap gimmick. One of Ranveer’s subscribers from BeerBiceps commented, “What does it say about our society when those who are supposed to impart the right knowledge and wisdom instead lead their followers astray? Instead of upholding integrity, they sacrifice it for quick likes, clicks, and views.” Of course, this incident isn’t just about one offensive remark —it exposes a deeper decay within our digital world and its increasingly insidious impact on the younger generation.
With over 90% of our teenagers actively using social media and spending more than four hours a day consuming filthy content, the influence of these so-called “influencers,” which is increasing by the day, is deeply concerning. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are overflowing with vulgar and obscene reels and videos, many of them created by a host of influencers, mushrooming third-rate media agencies, and young people, including some school-aged teenagers. With each passing day, their numbers are multiplying at an alarming rate, attracting millions of youths to their compulsive indulgences. If obscenity becomes the norm, what kind of future are we building for our children?
Who else has inspired our youth to create and upload such immoral reels and videos on social media if not the so-called influencers and entertainment actors and actresses who do anything for more money? Needless to say, many film stars, TV serial makers, and content creators have risen to fame by producing nothing but dirty films, soap operas, comedies, and video clips. These days, their success is measured not by talent or substance, but by the number of likes and views they receive from the audience. Just take a look at what’s also trending on OTT platforms — it’s truly shocking. At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before society finds itself grappling with countless “perverts and sexual offenders.”
In the last ten years, Indian entertainment has taken a worrisome turn. Numerous soap operas and TV serials—ranging from the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kasautii Zindagii Kay to the Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, the popular Kapil Sharma Show—have been broadcast, gradually but deeply weakening the moral fabric of society. Yes, the cheesy Bigg Boss has dealt a lethal blow to Indian culture and family values. All these shows, under the pretense of entertainment and fun, have been virtually chipping away at the moral fabric of our society, unashamedly glorifying nasty drama, conflict, and outrageously shocking behavior. This is sheer madness, but no one raises a voice of condemnation. In this regard, Amitabh Bachchan cannot be absolved of blame for applauding and patronizing such corrupt producers, actors, and comedians. Further, Bollywood has never felt an iota of shame in churning out a bevy of actresses, popularly known as item girls, who seductively perform “item numbers” — those provocative dance sequences that have become a staple in many films. These aren’t at all artistic expressions or integral parts of storytelling; rather, they’re deliberate ploys to fuel the audience’s baser instincts and attract a larger viewership. After all, why bother with substance when sensuality and sex sell and are appreciated!
If some still believe that constant exposure to depravity leaves no imprint on young minds, then they fail to grasp a fundamental truth — thought is the seed of action, and what we feed the mind today will manifest in our behaviour tomorrow. Well, a society that normalizes obscenity cannot expect virtue to flourish. Thus, I strongly feel that educated leaders and policymakers should pause to consider the long-term consequences of this trend a decade from now.
One concerned citizen laments how easy access to pornography has corrupted young minds, including the elderly, beyond repair. What’s even more unfortunate is that most of our leaders and elite intellectuals remain conspicuously silent on this, as if nothing is happening. They completely overlook the humiliation, stereotypes, and inhumane abuse of females in this dirty world.
Pragmatically speaking, even one very short-lived sexual encounter between opposite sexes can trap a young girl in a vortex of lifelong regret and distress. Should it not be a serious concern. Does such a reality not demand extreme caution? Just as a small crack can shatter an entire glass at any moment, reckless indulgence can potentially fracture a life. Furthermore, hasn’t today’s digital world, with its excessive exposure to filthy content, fueled a steep rise in teenage pregnancies, as also pointed out by senior journalist Patricia Mukhim through her article, “Teenage Pregnancy: Trauma of a Child Turned Mother” (December 13, 2024)?
In view of the plight of single mothers and the rapid social degeneration, Michael Syiem, the founder and president of Maitshaphrang, rues, “Easy marital breakups have brought untold misery and agony to single mothers. What kind of measures have we taken to address this social malaise when there is still no strict enforcement of compulsory marriage registration nor a ban on immoral content on the internet?”
Shraddha Walkar
Yes, without rhyme or reason, relationships these days are formed — and they just as easily fall apart. Nothing is more deplorable than the court legitimizing live-in relationships, which have been eulogized by Bollywood and mainstream media. Our so-called custodians of law have completely failed to see that this decision didn’t just belittle tradition — it chopped the sanctity of family into “35 pieces”. To be more precise, our legal system has not yet found the heart to show compassion or empathize with the grief-stricken parents of victims like Shraddha Walkar, who was brutally murdered by her live-in partner in 2022. In the face of such horrific tragedies, it remains apathetic, refusing to recognize the dire consequences that unchecked immoral relationships can cause.
When will our leaders wake up to the reality that when morality erodes, relationships weaken, and when relationships weaken, society crumbles? Everything is interconnected. Consequently, these days, countless single mothers, particularly those from disadvantaged and rural backgrounds, face anguish, regret, and a lifetime of silent suffering. One wonders how long we will allow depraved entertainment industries and jokers to wreak havoc on our society and family values. Our silence is not just complacency—it is an invitation for degenerate brigands to trample upon the values our parents instilled in us, as well as the ethos our culture upholds.
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An India-based writer and researcher, Salil Gewali is best known for his research-based work entitled ‘Great Minds on India’, that has earned worldwide appreciation. Translated into fifteen languages, his book has been edited by a former NASA scientist – Dr. AV Murali of Houston, USA. Gewali is also a member of the International Human Rights Commission, Zürich, Switzerland.
More information on WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salil_Gewali
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