Liquor lobby & alcohol consumption in Bollywood?
- Ajay Sahai Jasra
There is not a single movie these days in Bollywood, where there is no scene of liquor consumption as a lifestyle statement. Even there is a scene of uncle and nephew consuming liquor in a movie like Dangal, which is made of wrestling. They say that movies are the mirror of society. There is another theory that the liquor lobby is consuming liquor (especially among ladies) as a fashion statement by paying producers to have scenes of alcohol consumption in their movies.
A joint 2012 study by Public Health Foundation of India, and Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, United States, titled “Exposure to alcohol in Bollywood movies and its impact on alcohol use among urban Indian adolescents”, hints at this conspiracy theory. The study says that the prevalence of alcohol use has increased from 2% to more than 14% among youth under 21 years in India over the past 15 years. Studies from developed countries suggest that exposure to alcohol use depictions in Hollywood movies are associated with alcohol use among adolescents.
The study claimed that Indian adolescents aged 12–16 exposed to alcohol consumption in films were nearly three times more likely to drink than their peers who did not watch Bollywood movies. Pre-60s in Indian cinema, the villain mostly were shown drinking liquor. Heros were rarely shown drinking liquor, only when they are a melancholic mood. A comedian like Johny Walker and Bhagwan dada were shown as drunk. Comedians were never idealised by the youth of that era. In movies like Devdas (old), the hero who is a hardcore drunk is depicted as an extreme case.
In the 1970s movies like Sharabi (Amitabh Bacchan), Naseeb, Kati Patang, which made the audience accepted the reality that a hero can drink liquor. Audiences of movies in this era were made to believe that is OK for a hero (whom they idealised) to drink alcohol. However, vis-a-vis today’s time, the drinking scenes in these movies were mostly filmed in bars and not at home. If anybody hero or villain coming home drunk was shown in a bad light (Aaj fir pee ke aaye ho). Unless the hero is staying alone he would be drinking in a bar where some Helen type of girl would sing a song. For ladies to drink alcohol was a big taboo till the early 80s in Bollywood. Only vamps were allowed and shown drinking liquor. In Saheb Biwi Ghulam, Meena Kumari’s biggest sacrifice is that she started drinking to attract her husband.
In the last fifteen years, there would hardly any movie where drinking liquor by men is not shown. And recently girls and adolescents are shown drinking liquor in these movies. In Barely ki Barfi, the girl is shown drinking, but she is also shown sharing a smoke with her father. In a small north Indian town, this is “impossible” even today. In a movie like Ladies vs Vicky Behl, a Muslim girl is seen as been encouraged to drink liquor. In the movie Vicky Donor, Punjabi mother-in-law is shown drinking alcohol with her daughter-in-law. Being a Punjabi for 53 years I have never seen mother-in-law drinking liquor. Punjabis (men and women both) in any movie is depicted as hardcore liquor consumer. There are certain actresses who have at least one scene drinking liquor in their movies; is it just a coincidence or funded to do so.
If you’ve noticed an increase in energetic songs featuring Bollywood and other regional actors partying and drinking, it’s not by chance. Within the film industry, it’s well-known that the liquor lobby invests substantial amounts of money into these songs. Their goal isn’t an appreciation for the arts but rather to entice young audiences. By portraying drinking as trendy, they aim to hook youngsters on alcohol early.
You might wonder, what’s the harm? Producers get extra funds, actors gain more followers on social media, and everyone gets to showcase their hard-earned physiques. However, this situation mirrors the tactics used by cigarette companies in the U.S. decades ago. These companies glamorized smoking through campaigns featuring the Marlboro Man and sponsoring sports events, aiming to get kids hooked on smoking. Despite knowing the health risks, they hid the data and even engineered more addictive tobacco strains to ensure lifelong customers.
Today, the alcohol industry uses similar strategies. They spend millions without legal advertising channels or ethical concerns, aiming to make drinking seem cool and appealing to teenagers. The long-term harmful effects of alcohol on adolescents are well-documented in leading medical journals. The impact on their psychological, financial, and family lives can be more devastating than smoking, as anyone with an alcoholic family member can attest. By featuring beloved movie stars in party scenes, taking shots, and showing violence with beer flowing freely, the message is clear and enticing to young viewers.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has responded by requiring more Hindi and foreign films to display anti-liquor watermarks during scenes featuring alcohol consumption. The Hindu reported that films like the British “All of Us Strangers” and Taika Waititi’s “Next Goal Wins” now have such warnings. Indian films like “Dhaaak” and “Late Night with the Devil” also include these disclaimers.
Similar to the anti-tobacco warnings mandated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, some states have implemented laws requiring anti-liquor warnings. Kerala’s Abkari Act, for instance, mandates jail penalties for films not displaying these warnings, though there’s a proposal to replace this with a fine. Tamil films also feature anti-liquor disclaimers, and brand labels on liquor bottles are typically blurred unless fictitious.
