Hyderabad: Communist Party of India (CPI) national secretary Dr K Narayana, on Thursday wrote a letter to the chief justice of the Telangana High Court, expressing concern over the recent violence and vandalism in the aftermath of the reality show Bigg Boss Telugu 7.
The letter seeks accountability not only on the part of the contestants but also from the show’s organisers — Endemol Shine Group. “Bigg Boss Telugu is owned by Endemol Shine Group. And for the TRP they are playing all sorts of pranks, polluting the viewer’s minds and making them agressive,” Dr K Narayana wrote in the letter.
Dr Narayana also warned of the desensitisation effect caused by repeated exposure to aggressive content, asserting that the continuous portrayal of contestants fighting and engaging in verbal abuse may normalise such behaviour among the audience.
Not so long ago, a regional version of Bigg Boss saw contestants acting like patients of a mental hospital thanks to a task given to them. The “craziest” and “funniest” one of them all was hailed as the entertainer. That’s not it! Even the more popular Hindi version hosted by Salman recently saw a contestant using the word “psycho” for an aggressive co-contestant as though it were an adjective to be thrown around, he said.
The irresponsible portrayal of mental health issues in the media is a cause of concern and can make it difficult for those suffering from them to come out and talk about their issues. Individuals believed to be Pallavi Prashanth’s fans of Big Boss Telugu reportedly vandalised vehicles passing through the area. Cars belonging to Amardeep and ex-contestants Ashwini and Geetu Royal, along with a few RTC buses, were damaged, and windows were broken. Ashwini and Geetu filed complaints at Jubilee Hills police station.
“Looking into the situations I fear that if proper action is not taken, the situation might be worsening,” CPI secretary urged the HC. He further said, “I pray to this court for the welfare of the general public to consider warning organisers and taking action against them in this regard.”
Recently, Telangana police filed charges against Pallavi Prashanth, the winner of Bigg Boss Telugu 7, and some of his fans for their alleged involvement in violent incidents, including the vandalism of vehicles belonging to contestants Amardeep, Ashwini, and Geetu Royal, along with damage to RTC buses.
