Scene 1: A police officer’s cabin. As the camera pans, audience see a grim-looking yet stylish lady police officer walking restlessly. On the other end, stands the accused. Unable to hold the anger, the officer lashes out at the accused. Beep sound replaces verbal abuse.
Scene 2: A real life police officer’s cabin. As real eyes pan, viewers see a normal-looking female cop listening to the accused. She is not arrogant. She looks involved in the issue as she interrogates the accused without losing temper.
These two contradicting scenes are portrayed here to show the difference between imagination and reality. It was Vani Viswanath who stereotyped female police role in Mollywood. Although Malayalam cinema has come a long way in terms of conceptualisation, narration and implementation, it looks like it still remains conservative in the depiction of police officers. Even in the recent flicks such as Drishyam, the police is portrayed as means to make gains. Let us listen to those who don khakhi in real and reel roles.
B. Sandhya, IPS, one of the eminent police officers in Kerala, says, “Cinema has always been unreal while showing police. It depicts police as a way too harsh. But let me tell you, I have never beaten a person in my career. We are democratic police. Showing us as merciless people will convey a wrong message to the audience”
Actress Bhavana, who will be seen as police officer in the upcoming movie Polytechnic, has a different opinion on this regard. “There are good and bad police officers. Otherwise, we would not have heard bad news about police,” she says. According to her, cinema has to be viewed as an entertainer. One should not try to gulp whatever is shown in cinema. “If people start imitating whatever they see on screen, what would have been the condition of this State?” she asked. However, she will not be playing a rough cop in Polytechnic.
Actresses say they seldom meet real life police officers before acting. “I did what my director said. Though I have seen many movies and tried to have a close study of a police officer, I didn’t go out to meet a real person,” says Rajshri Nair, the police officer in Grandmaster.
Some others feel that cinema demands female cops to be masculine. Renjini Haridas, who made her debut essaying a police officer in the movie Entry, says, “There are some pre-conceived notions about the police. I did what my director asked me to. As I was accustomed to ramp walk, walking like a police officer was a Herculean task for me. Why should we shed the womanliness on screen? In real life, we see a lot of female police officers who keep their dignity by being themselves,” she adds.
City Deputy Commissioner of police, R. Nishanthini, opines, “We are trying to serve the society. I treat all people who come to meet me well. If an old lady comes to my cabin, I’d treat her like my mother. Also, you can find a fashionable police officer only in cinema.”
It’s time for change. “They can add some elements to make their characters strong. But it must be in tune with reality. We are using scientific aids to prove a case. Also, unlike in cinema, where proving a crime is a team effort, we are following the amended Police Act. After some years, if cinema keeps on portraying us like this, people will react,” adds B. Sandhya IPS.
