Film as a Reflection of Society

Abstract

Movies have become such an integral part of man's life that it is tough to imagine a world without this form of entertainment. This world can be larger than life, or it can be about the hustle and bustle of everyday life, or it can paint the heart-wrenching stories of the ostracised and abused sections of society. Social film genres help one to awaken to a sense of responsibility and to show empathy towards emotional situations. Even though films have been able to record the different social changes, its impact has never been systematically explored. This chapter is an attempt to conduct a systematic study of applying the reader-reception theory in a few films in Tamil and to study their impact on society. The films chosen for study are Aruvi, Mercury, Mersal, Velaikaran, and Nisabdham, which were bold cinematic portrayals of sexual abuse of children. These socially enlightening films help in reaching the audience and creating awareness among them. They influence the thought process in a positive way and help one to try to do his/her bit in order to be of help to humanity.