Film actor urges artistes, directors to shun vulgarity on social media

Expressing concern over the unpleasant situation caused by obscenity and vulgarity on social media platforms by influencers, Sham Thapar, a local film artiste, called upon directors to play an active role in curbing the pollution of the cultural environment in the state.

At the same time, he urged artistes and influencers not to succumb to the pressures of producers and directors simply to produce attention-grabbing content.

“In almost all controversial cases which created social chaos, besides upsetting the families of artistes and influencers, the whims and choices of directors determined the final presentation, causing the unfortunate outcome,” said Thapar, adding that he was fortunate to have worked under directors who made every effort to preserve the originality of the content and the authenticity of the scenes being recorded.

Thapar said minimising violence, vulgarity and obscenity in art films, television serials and YouTube presentations should be the primary focus of all involved, including directors.

He noted that directors can influence artistes and social media influencers to create and share inappropriate content in several ways, including offering financial incentives or pressuring them to produce sensational material. “Artistes and influencers must remember that this can have negative consequences, impacting their reputation, trust and potentially leading to legal repercussions,” cautioned Thapar.

Thapar emphasised that all stakeholders in the film industry and allied professions should be guided by ethical considerations, alongside their aspirations for economic gain, maximum likes, shares, comments and strong emotional responses. “Each one of us should remember that we have a responsibility towards our followers for creating ethical and safe content,” said Thapar.

Sham Thapar has played lead roles in several Punjabi songs, as well as main roles in films such as SHO Sher Singh, Jai Durga Maa and Faraz. Thapar asserted that despite sticking to sober and ethical creations, he was able to earn both respect and popularity.

Ludhiana