April 07, 2008
India Advocacy Group Fights Stigma in Movies
We received notice today of the efforts of an advocacy group in India that is focused on changing portrayal of the mentally ill in a new movie in India.
Sadly, unlike the new generation of movies like "A Beautiful Mind" - there are many movies and TV programs being produced still that perpetuate ignorance about mental illness.
Advocacy groups like Torchbearers are leading the way by educating the public and media groups about the harm that these negative stereotypes cause.
"NEW DELHI: Long abused for creating slapstick and often distasteful humour in films, the portrayal of schizophrenics in an upcoming Rakesh Roshan film “Krazzy 4” has offended the sensibilities of several afflicted families who have demanded a change of the title and suitable censorship of its contents.
Historically eyed with dread and suspicion, schizophrenia (and other mental illnesses) is one such disease that raises paradoxical impressions of violence and mirth in the minds of the general public.
According to the spokesperson of Torchbearers (an Advocacy for Disabling Brain Illness) Rukmini Pillai, maligning and stigmatising people with mental afflictions by caricaturing them in movies was highly violative of their dignity and proved a deterrent to their inclinations of seeking timely medical advice. "
Read the entire story: Krazzy 4 kicks up a controversy
We encourage you to send letters of protest about this movie - and explain to the movie promoters that it represents a lack of knowledge about mental illness and perpetuates negative stereotypes.
The movie is called "Krazzy4" (here is the web site) and its being released worldwide on April 11th. We recommend you send emails to all of these people:
Press Contacts
UK: vaishali.malhotra@erosintl.com
US: leena.pahuja@erosintl.com
India: amita.naidu@erosmultimedia.net
Torchbearers suggests:
"Yes it would be wonderful if you could get people to write to these people. It would really help. When there is a problem with a Hollywood movie a lot of people protest.Can that be done in US and UK - about Krazzy 4? Lots of letters and some press reporting? Probably that would catch our Government's attention."
The Torchbearers is a group of parent Advocates for the mentally ill in India - if you have any tips or suggestions on how they can further their cause - I recommend you drop them an email at:
torchbearers.r@gmail.com
Torchbearers reports:
"The Secretary ( the senior most civil servant in the Ministry ), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had told me on Friday that the movie would be reviewed with a mental health expert. Today I rang up to find out the name of the mental health expert. The Secretary was unavailable. Her PS said that she had made notes in the petition and the file was with the Joint Secretary (Films). He was very evasive. He said that once the film was certified it could not be done again. When I told him that I was assured by the Secretary he said,' Why are you going on calling me Madam. Please let me do my work."
I plan to use the Right to Information Act to find out who is the mental health expert who certified the film. I will do that tomorrow.
Also have petitioned the Central Mental Health Authority of India who is supposed to oversee the National Mental Health Programme.
We have used 'stigmatisation' coming in the way of treatment etc...The link is given below.
India - National Mental Health Program Legislation
Also have requested meeting with the Health Minister and the Chairman of the National Commission of Human Rights(NCHR). The NCHR is sympathetic to homeless mentally ill women and the thousand patients abandoned in the 37 mental hospitals of the country.
Generally families are put in the dock for abandoning their family member although there are millions of families taking care of people with mental illness."
Posted by szadmin at April 7, 2008 11:03 AM
More Information on
Schizophrenia Advocacy
Comments
I am not surprised at the indignation expressed by the 'Torchbearers'regarding the movie'Krazzy 4' and the manner in which it has treated schizophrenia as a 'laughing matter'.Mental illness of any nature cannot be an object of mirth-it has to be dealt with patience and kindness.All the persons connected with the above -mentioned movie should pay heed to the appeal of the 'torchbearers'and accept their demands.
Posted by: ranjana manchanda at April 10, 2008 05:16 AM
My mother has schizophrenia and I could not asked for a better mom. She trys real hard to find sanity around me. People with schizophrenia can love and be loved.
love always,
her daughter
Posted by: samantha button at April 11, 2008 01:49 PM
In the animal kingdom the most intelligent at any moment is usually the one whome has had the best brain fats and good sugar balance in the group.
John Forbes Nash (the butiful mind bloke)
The Nash Equilibrium is a maths technology (part of game theory)
Which you can use to predict when your comnpany will hit saturation points in the market where you cease to profit by means of direct competition with others (equlibrium).
In the world of internet economy never has this maths been so important due to the many competitors in the market and complexed economic decisions that need to be made in the Banking world and social political world to keep interests and markets running.
Just thought i would point out that this guys work is actually highly relevent TODAY.
Nash is accessable via the net and seems to have a love for discovering clever stuff in a world of high simplicity especially in the area of physics.
He works still today at Harvard.
By the way this type of analises on the Schitzophrenia market done well would be worth somthing.
It would also be a worth while read when put into laymans terms.
Posted by: Luke Andrew Marsh at April 23, 2008 07:40 AM
There are too many mythical takes on people with mental illness. To make money off stigma is really desparate for talent base.
I hope someone address the lack of character it takes to put this together.
Posted by: J D at April 25, 2008 02:13 PM
HI, I have a friend who is diagonsed as sizophrenic, who is in patna(India), can u please give me the address or phone no. of any support group from patna.; u can call me or reply to me at ---------09953472914;
shamsh321@yahoo.co.in
Posted by: SHAMAK at April 29, 2008 01:30 PM
Post a comment
Early
Schizophrenia Screening Test
I am not surprised at the indignation expressed by the 'Torchbearers'regarding the movie'Krazzy 4' and the manner in which it has treated schizophrenia as a 'laughing matter'.Mental illness of any nature cannot be an object of mirth-it has to be dealt with patience and kindness.All the persons connected with the above -mentioned movie should pay heed to the appeal of the 'torchbearers'and accept their demands.
Posted by: ranjana manchanda at April 10, 2008 05:16 AM
My mother has schizophrenia and I could not asked for a better mom. She trys real hard to find sanity around me. People with schizophrenia can love and be loved.
love always,
her daughter
Posted by: samantha button at April 11, 2008 01:49 PM
In the animal kingdom the most intelligent at any moment is usually the one whome has had the best brain fats and good sugar balance in the group.
John Forbes Nash (the butiful mind bloke)
The Nash Equilibrium is a maths technology (part of game theory)
Which you can use to predict when your comnpany will hit saturation points in the market where you cease to profit by means of direct competition with others (equlibrium).
In the world of internet economy never has this maths been so important due to the many competitors in the market and complexed economic decisions that need to be made in the Banking world and social political world to keep interests and markets running.
Just thought i would point out that this guys work is actually highly relevent TODAY.
Nash is accessable via the net and seems to have a love for discovering clever stuff in a world of high simplicity especially in the area of physics.
He works still today at Harvard.
By the way this type of analises on the Schitzophrenia market done well would be worth somthing.
It would also be a worth while read when put into laymans terms.
Posted by: Luke Andrew Marsh at April 23, 2008 07:40 AM
There are too many mythical takes on people with mental illness. To make money off stigma is really desparate for talent base.
I hope someone address the lack of character it takes to put this together.
Posted by: J D at April 25, 2008 02:13 PM
HI, I have a friend who is diagonsed as sizophrenic, who is in patna(India), can u please give me the address or phone no. of any support group from patna.; u can call me or reply to me at ---------09953472914;
shamsh321@yahoo.co.in
Posted by: SHAMAK at April 29, 2008 01:30 PM