Drinking Away To Glory???

An unfortunate trend nowadays is glamourisation of drinking, especially amongst women. You want to portray an empowered woman and bingo, just show her gulping a couple of drinks.

Pick any recent movie with modern women in it and chances are that she is drinking in practically every second scene. Take the recent-hit, Tanu Weds Manu Returns. The original character of Tanu is drinking in practically every frame of the movie and of course, she is the cool one. Dattu or Reebokey, who is state-level athlete and is the not so desirable one doesn’t get the guy in the end.

Take Deepika’s character in Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani and again, she doesn’t consume alcohol when she is portrayed as a nerd and a studious girl. Later in the movie, she and Kalki are drinking while dancing, before getting ready for shaadi, while regular conversation with friends…you get the picture. I haven’t watched Piku but I am told the same trend is visible in that movie as well. There are other examples like Cocktail etc. 

Drinking is no longer for the bad mean vamp of the Hindi cinema. The chaste heroine of the Hindi cinema would never go anywhere near the bottle of alcohol. Bindu, Helen, Nadira were the ones holding the forbidden glass in their hands. Even the male characters stayed away from drinking…it was only lovelorn characters like Devdas drinking away to glory. Now everybody seems to be drinking.

I don’t have much problem with drinking provided it is done responsibly. The problem with the recent portrayals is that it sends out the message that it is important to drink to be cool. The movies never show the hero calling up a taxi because he cannot drive. They never say that drinking beyond a point is harmful. Except for Aashiqui 2, I cannot recall a movie, which talks about the detrimental aspects of regular drinking.

Young girls and boys watching these movies believe that it is fine to drink and be merry. It is the responsibility of the filmmakers to also talk about the responsibility and precautions to take before going on a drinking spree.

My husband and I, mutually decide who is going to drive back from a dinner party. The arrangement makes it clear as to who can drink and who cannot. I am also all for stringent laws (I believe fine for drunken driving in Chandigarh is Rs 2000) to prevent people from driving after drinking.

The recent incident of Jahnavi Gadkar is a case in point. When her friend asked her if she was okay to drive her back, she replied, “I have done it before.” She was probably thinking that she was being cool by refusing help to reach home. The bravado unfortunately, costed her dearly.

These incidents can be avoided by simply taking some precautions. First and foremost drinking should always be with our close friends. And how difficult can it be to take turns to drop or if you are too inebriated to just take a cab or sleep at friend’s place or to ask your parents, friends, family to come and pick you up. Options are many. Pick one before you start drinking!!!