iWorld
Govt’s animated video message on child abuse to be shown in theatres, online plaints encouraged
NEW DELHI: Over a decade after a government report declared that every fifth child is subject to child abuse in his or her own home, an anti-child abuse documentary is planned to be made mandatory for all movie theatres across the country to spread the message of “Acting against child abuse.”
Urging viewers to ‘Say no to child sexual abuse’, the idea of the film came after an assessment of anti-tobacco films screened in movie theatres and television. The short 30-second animation video will be screened not only at the start of the film, but also during intervals so that viewers do not miss the message.
The short has been made by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which is an official body under the ministry for women and child development. It is aimed at encouraging people to report such incidents.
The NCPCR claims that no fee will be charged by the theatres for screening the video, which is in Hindi and English, and features the minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi.
Initially, this short will be screened in 11 theatres in the capital but will later be extended in all theatres in the country.
A victim or someone known to the victim can report the matter by just writing ‘Please help’. It is mandatory to provide a mobile number so that the complainant can be contacted. It is not necessary to narrate the incident on the digital platform.
According to National Crime Record Bureau, 94,172 cases were reported in 2016 across the country.
Apart from conveying the message, the POCSO e-box facility will be promoted to encourage people to register online complaints. This is an online complaint management system for easy and direct reporting of sexual offences against children and timely action against offenders under the POCSO Act, 2012.
While launching the e-box in 2016, Gandhi had said the idea came out of a police initiative in which complaint boxes were placed in schools. ‘A large number of abuse incidents are against close relatives and so they get pushed under the carpet,’ she had said.
According to a study, sources in NCPCR said, about 53 per cent of children surveyed reported having faced some form of sexual abuse. In most cases, the offender is a family member/ near relative or an acquaintance.
“Victims in such cases do not generally report the offences. Sexual abuse scars the psyche of the affected child for life. A child who is sexually abused has to face serious consequences such as cognitive impairment, violent and risky behaviour, including depression and anxiety,” the study notes.
“Feeling shameful and guilty with poor interpersonal relationship and self-esteem are other consequences of sexually abused children,” the study observes.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
