Minors watching adult-rated movies
Going to the cinema with the whole family during Eid has long been a tradition. It continued this year as well. However, the problem is arisen, of the five films released this Eid, three- ‘Prince; Once Upon a Time in Dhaka’, ‘Pressure Cooker’ and ‘Rakkhosh’- have received ‘A’ (Adults Only) certificates.
Yet many parents are taking their underage children to watch these films. This is not the first time; such incidents have been occurring for several years with Eid releases.
On condition of anonymity, ticket counter sales staff at several cinemas in Dhaka said viewers are knowingly purchasing tickets and enjoying the films.
This reporter also spoke to several parents. Monirul Islam of Dhanmondi said, “I have been watching films since my student days. Now I am a father of three schoolchildren. This Eid, I watched three films. We are a family of five. When we go to watch a film, it is not possible to leave the children at home. So, even if we do not want to, we end up watching films together as a family.”
“This time, we faced no issues with one film; later I found out it had a ‘U’ rating. As for the other two, I would say some dialogues and scenes were unnecessary. Later I heard those films had ‘A’ ratings. Considering violence and its psychological impact on children, there should have been more publicity before release,” he added.
A family from Gulshan in Dhaka, along with their friends, watched an ‘A’-rated film at Uttara Centre Point, totalling 13 people. Two of them said that apart from two or three dialogues and one scene, the film was enjoyable and they did not feel uncomfortable while watching it.
Cinema hall owners say they want to follow the rules, but parents do not. However, if government monitoring teams are active, owners would be able to be stricter. Mirza Abdul Khalek, founder of Lion Cinemas in Dhaka, said, “Those who buy tickets online can see which films are adult-rated.”
“For walk-in viewers, we inform them that children are not allowed. If parents insist, they still bring them in. Most viewers do not understand the significance of an adult rating. There is also heavy pressure during Eid. If we say ‘no’, the situation can escalate,” he said.
Mirza Abdul Khalek added, “Producers should run awareness campaigns on this issue. There have not been many adult-rated films in our country. Now that it has started, producers and directors should be given guidance. Audience awareness is essential. Parents should take responsibility and make their own decisions. If we try to stop them, it could create trouble.”
To understand the impact of adult content on minors, this reporter spoke to psychiatrist Professor Mohit Kamal. The former director of the National Institute of Mental Health said, “When minors watch adult content, the brain’s master gland becomes activated. As a result, children begin to behave like adults at an early age.”
“This premature development, something that should naturally occur at 14-15, is now happening at 11, or even at 9-10, which is harmful for the next generation. If minors succumb to biological urges at an early age, their moral development will suffer. A consumerist mindset may dominate.”
“Moral development comes from culture, religious values, and family and social structures. When children discover themselves differently through mobile phones or films, they may become uncontrolled. Therefore, I would urge parents not to take teenagers to cinemas showing adult content. Parental awareness is crucial,” he added.
On the issue, Raihan Rafi, director of the Eid release ‘Pressure Cooker’, which received an ‘A’ certificate, said, “Different stories require different certifications. Our responsibility is to make the film; what happens afterwards is up to cinemas and audiences.”
“Despite criticism, viewers are showing interest. People now have access to Netflix and Amazon Prime at home. They watch content from around the world and are quite mature. If Bangladeshi content is to reach international standards, it must keep pace globally.”
“The key issue is whether obscenity is being shown. If only what is necessary for the story is depicted, keeping our context in mind, I do not see a problem. We have shown only what was required for the story,” he added.
Moinuddin, deputy director of the Bangladesh Film Certification Board, said, “The intended audience is clearly stated in the certificate. It is the responsibility of cinema owners to raise awareness among viewers. Producers must also promote the film accordingly.”
He added, “We have monitoring teams, but their capacity is limited. They oversee compliance and control unauthorised screenings. However, the responsibility of cinema owners is much greater, and parental awareness is equally essential.”