Item songs incite rapes, feels Om Puri

Veteran actor Om Puri feels that item songs in Indian films are picturised so vulgarly, that they may even incite rapes.

Veteran actor Om Puri feels that item songs in Indian films are picturised so vulgarly, that they may even incite rapes. "These item songs are ­vulgar ... In today’s films, these songs have (dance) movements which are as if they have reached the ­climax of sex. They are ­picturised so vulgarly. Pardon my language, but if someone wants to release their pent up sexual frustration, they can just buy a DVD and play that song. In olden days like in the 60s, 70s or 80s, there were cabarets. But those were so elegantly picturised. And I am sure these item songs today incite rapes. Back in the olden days, there weren’t so many rape incidents happening. They are so provocatively picturised today," says the Padma Shri awadree.

And the 64-year-old also feels that films should be used to spread social messages. "It’s a very sad state. Today, filmmaking is just a business. People want to invest Rs 10 and earn Rs 12. There is no social ­responsibility. Films are such a powerful medium, one can use it to spread social ­messages," says the actor, who was recently seen in political satire Jai Ho Democracy.

And he adds that the ­filmmaker justify ­themselves saying they are serving to the masses what they want. "I disagree with that, because films like Ardh Satya (1983) and Aakrosh (1980) were also very ­popular. And now, they’ve been forced to give to the audience what they actually want — content-driven films. That’s why we see different films now," he says.

Veteran-actor-Om-Puri-on-the-Chandigarh-University-campus-Gharaun-near-Chandigarh-on-Friday-Gurpreet-Singh-HT