The Indian Medical Association has urged authorities to review the promotional content of Sunny Deol’s upcoming crime drama. The crime drama, Suryaa: Ant Se Aarambh Tak, is allegedly portraying the medical profession in a negative light.
The IMA said that the portrayal of corruption and violence against healthcare workers could negatively impact people’s perception of doctors and other healthcare staff.
The crime drama Suryaa: Ant se Aarambh Tak is directed by M. Padmakumar. It is a remake of the 2018 Malayalam crime thriller Joseph.
In the film, Sunny Deol portrays a former police officer whose world is upended by a personal tragedy. His subsequent investigation pulls him into a dark web of medical negligence and institutional fraud. The film will be released on November 20.
According to the reports, the IMA has outlined four key concerns regarding specific scenes in the crime drama. The said concerns are normalization of corruption in the medical industry, depiction of physical violence against doctors, safety of medical personnel, and the negative impact on the patient-doctor relationship.
In its letter, IMA mentioned that specific scenes in the drama that depict corruption in the medical industry can adversely affect the entire medical community in the country.
The letter stated, “The portrayal risks creating the impression of corruption, unethical practices, and alleged corruption in the medical fraternity. While individual misconduct must be investigated and punished, the actions of a few must not be used to tarnish the reputation of countless honest and dedicated doctors."
The association also asked to review the scenes which showed physical confrontations in hospitals to be allowed and justified.
The IMA stated, "Scenes depicting physical assaults on doctors, nursing staff, and hospital personnel, particularly when presented as heroic or justified acts, risk normalising violence against those committed to saving lives."
According to the reports, the association further said that doctors and medical workers in India already face a lot of hostility and safety challenges. They added that if such scenes are glorified through crime dramas, then people in the country will feel more encouraged to be violent against healthcare workers.
The IMA also mentioned in its letter that portraying a negative image of doctors and medical professionals in the country can result in mistrust between patients and doctors.
"Such portrayals may foster unwarranted mistrust and hostility towards doctors, weakening the mutual trust and cooperation essential for effective treatment and healthcare delivery," the letter stated.
The association said that it will not tolerate any unethical behaviour towards the medical community. It said that improper instances must be dealt with strictly and disciplinary bodies must step in to solve the issue. The association cautioned against broad portrayals that risk damaging the reputation of the entire profession or discouraging aspiring students from pursuing careers in medicine.
In its appeal, IMA requested an impartial review of the crime drama. It also asked the authorities to take further action to address the concerns.
The IMA urged the filmmakers to implement appropriate corrective measures and called upon regulatory bodies to consider a ban or other legal remedies if justified.
(Rh/ARC)