Date: 12th September 2008
To,
Vipul Shah
(Producer)
303, Patel Industrial Estate,
B/40, New
Andheri W, Mumbai-53
Anees Bazmee
(Director)
1502,
Shantivan,
Oshiwara, Andheri W, Mumbai- 53
Ranvir Shorey
(Actor)
101, L-1/A,
Yamuna Nagar,
Oshiwara, Andheri W
Mumbai-53
Dear Sir,
Sub: Use of Foul and Abusive Language against Senior Citizens
Ref: Your film “Singh is King’’
Greetings from Silver Inning Foundation and compliments on the success of ‘Singh is King’! We are a registered NGO working for the cause of Senior Citizens.
This is with reference to three dialogues in the film by the character played by Mr. Ranvir Shorey. When an elderly person breaks a juice container, this character called Punit asks Kirron Kher to ‘remove the Senior Citizen from the job’. He adds that ‘had this senior citizen been in Government service, he would have been made to retire thrice’.
There is one more dialogue which addresses the senior citizen as ‘Bloody Senior Citizen’. This remark is not acceptable. This remark is uncivilized and unethical.
These particular remarks are distasteful and present senior citizens in a bad light. This is verbal abuse on Senior Citizens. The Senior citizens don’t need to be treated in this disgraceful way, they are our Elders; they are Parents of some one. This promotes hatred among particular group of people. Every Individual has right to work, right to be respected and treated in dignified way. Your film is promoting discrimination and foul language against our Elders.
This movie, considering that it is such a huge success, will influence and reinforce stereotypes that already exist in society regarding Senior Citizens. Senior citizens (term in literature on ageing and accepted term world over is older adults) are individuals first and the dialogues endorse what we call ‘ageism’ which is a systematic process of creating stereotypes and discrimination against people on the basis of age.
Films they say are a mirror of society but they are also a powerful medium to create perceptions on impressionable minds or buttress existing attitudes in society. Films are mass media and reaches out to millions of people and will influence and make people believe and behave in particular manner. You and Film fraternity should be responsible in your behavior towards Senior Citizens and we won’t allow this kind of reference to our Elders.
We sincerely believe that society at different levels needs to challenge and fight against ageist attitudes so that older adults can claim their legitimate place in society.
As per our knowledge, these dialogues do not in any way add or contribute to the main content of the film.
Hence we earnestly exhort you to immediately remove the dialogues that disparage older adults and their individuality and seek Public Apology for showing Senior Citizens in bad light. You are requested to take necessary action within 15 days from the date of issue of this letter or else we will seek legal action against you and the Film.
As NGO working for Senior Citizens we have moral responsibility to raise our objection and fight for ill treatment and abuse of Senior Citizens.
Hope you will in future show respect to our Elders and together we can contribute in creating an elder-friendly world where older adults can spend their twilight years with dignity and self-respect.
Thanking you.
Warm Regards,
Sailesh Mishra
Founder President
Silver Innings Foundation
CC TO:
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Shastri Bhawan,
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Shastri Bhawan,
Police Commissioner
Office of the Commissioner of Police,
Opp. Crawford Market.,
D.N.Road., Mumbai-1
All Media Houses
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
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