'Raakh' director Prosit Roy advocates for zero violence in society
Mumbai, June 19
Director Prosit Roy, who is receiving a lot of positive response to the recently released streaming series 'Raakh', feels that there is no place for violence in society.
The director spoke with IANS during the promotions of the film along with Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre, Aamir Bhashir, Ramandeep Yadav, Anusha Nandkumar and Sandeep Sanket.
'Raakh' is a gripping fictional investigative thriller set in the late 1970s. It traces a crime that sends shockwaves across the nation, and leads to a nationwide manhunt that explores the collision between crime and justice. The series is heavily inspired by the Ranga-Billa case of kidnapping and extortion of siblings eventually leading to their brutal murder.
Violence has been a huge part of human history. In fact, Chimpanzees have gang wars as they do unspeakable things to each other. Similarly, since humans come from that lineage, it has been a part of our history throughout, religious wars, conquests, disharmony in the society.
When asked about his views on violence, and its impact on society in the longer run, the director said, "I think violence should not be there. I think that is my only view. I mean, in society, already there is a lot of violence. All over, there are probably three wars which are being fought right now in the world".
He told IANS, "We don't need anymore violence. Zero violence. That is my only view. And sometimes, the violence around us become so much that we start getting desensitised towards violence, we keep becoming numb towards it. So, you need to shake things up".
"And that is when you make shows like this. So that you realize what darkness is, and you value lightness", he added.
The series is available to stream on Prime Video.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good message, but let's be real - violence has been part of Indian history too, from the Mughal invasions to Partition. A show inspired by the Ranga-Billa case is timely. Hope they handle it sensitively and don't just exploit the tragedy for entertainment.
'Zero violence' is a noble ideal, but in a country where we still have honour killings and mob lynchings, isn't it a bit naive? Maybe we need more shows like this to start the conversation, but the solution starts with better education and policing, not just OTT content. 🤔
So refreshing to hear a filmmaker talk about shaking us out of our numbness rather than just cashing in on violence. The desensitisation is real - we scroll past tragedy on our phones without a second glance. This show might just be the wake-up call we need. Definitely adding to my watchlist! 📺
Respect to Prosit Roy for taking a stand, but actions speak louder than words. If you're making a show about a brutal kidnapping and murder case, isn't that inherently violent? The challenge is to depict it without glorifying it. Let's see if they pull that off before we pat them on the back.
As an outsider to Indian entertainment, I'm impressed by the maturity of this conversation. The comparison to chimpanzee gang wars is interesting - reminds me that violence is part of our biology, but art is what makes us transcend it. Would love to check this out.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.