ISLAMABAD, March 24: There has been an alarming increase in the number of films projecting hooligans as heroes and ideals of our society.

A survey of twin cities’ cinemas showed that as many as six of those cinemas were screening Urdu and Punjabi movies having the word Badmash or Goonda as part of the title.

In Rawalpindi, a movie called Badmash is being screened at Naz Cinema, Dada Badmash at Rose Cinema, Badmash Putar at Tasveer Mahal and Goonda Tax” at Plaza Cinema while in Islamabad, Badmash Gujar is being shown at Nafdec-II.

In this age of dish antennae, cable services, CDs and DVDs, the few people who watch movies on the silver screen include labourers, auto-mechanics, daily-wage earners and other poor people. Hence the illiterate “think-tanks” of the local film industry make movies to cater to their taste. Do the Pakistani film producers believe that scenes of violence would help ease the anger and resentment of the exploited lot of the society when there is evidence to the contrary.

Projecting rebellion as heroic has been a practice since the time when legendary Greek philosopher Socrates was awarded death penalty for challenging the status quo.

Then, there were several characters during British rule in India who rose up in rebellion against the rulers’ cruel disposition and thus earned respect among the helpless and the poor.

Five decades after independence, there should have been a change in our perception of heroism. Our choice for movie-heroes indicates that this is not the case.

In the wake of September 11 tragedy, the government has been trying to suppress violent religious groups.

However, reasons behind promotion of violence remain unattended by those at the helm of affairs. This has the potential to frustrate the efforts being made to promote tolerance in the society.

A marked increase has been observed in the incidence of domestic violence in the twin cities where an estimated 100 women approached the local courts to seek ‘Khula’ (divorce) from their husbands during the first quarter of this year.

A majority of these women claimed to have been brutally tortured not only by their husbands but also by their in-laws.