PSYCHOANALYSIS OF SCENES THAT TRIGGER ALCOHOLISM AND SMOKING IN THE PAN
INDIA FILM KGF 2
PSYCHOANALYSIS OF SCENES THAT
TRIGGER ALCOHOLISM AND SMOKING IN THE PAN INDIA FILM KGF 2
K. Abish Vignesh 1,
Dr. V. Sundararaman 2
1Ph.D.
Scholar, Department of Communication, ManonmaniamSundaranar University, Tirunelveli – 628 809, Tamil Nadu,
India
2Assistant Professor, Department of
Communication, ManonmaniamSundaranar
University, Tirunelveli – 628 809, Tamil Nadu, India
ABSTRACT
Psychoanalysis
is a clinical treatment approach for psychopathology. Sigmund Freud used it
to treat his patients by interpreting dreams and unconscious desires. It was
later applied to film as a psychoanalytic film theory Margolis
(2013). Many film theorists and critics support this theory because
cinema has an irrational relationship with the spectator's subconscious.
Neither view nor Psychoanalytic film theory can describe the film spectator's
unconscious Allen (1999). The fiery treatment of heroic booze and smoking moments in the
Pan-Indian Film KGF 2 affected many viewers unconscious. These scenes include
powerful temptations that are suppressed over the spectator's psyche's shadow
archetypes (dark or hidden personality); a suitable symbolic order (Lacan) is
required to unveil persona archetypes (mask or reveal character). The film
requires psychological investigation. Although many theorists have
contributed to psychoanalysis theory, the researcher favours
Carl Jung's psychoanalytic cinema theory of archetypes and the collective
unconscious. The researcher uses purposive sampling to select KGF-2 as the
sample. Smoking and alcoholic scenes were analysed
using qualitative and quantitative content analysis (duration of consumption,
consuming scene description, the character consuming, and the sense that
suppresses the consuming behaviour overshadow
archetypes), and five fellow scholars participated in a focus group discussion
to interpret those scenes (scene interpretation and capacity of consuming
behavior). Finally, the outcome was assessed using shadow archetype variables
(desire, violence, heroism, joy, power, and so on) that were suppressed by
the film sequences.
With the
license CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download,
reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work
must be properly attributed to its author.
Keywords: Psychoanalytic Film Theory, Psychoanalysis of KGF 2,
Alcoholism and Smoking in KGF 2
1. INTRODUCTION
Alcoholism and smoking are now much more common than they
ever were. Films now feature more drinkers and smoking scenes than ever before.
Real-life smokers and drinkers and alcohol and smoking material in movies go
hand in hand. Many viewers are influenced by film to consume them Dickinson (2012). According to Jacques
Lacan, a person's ego develops when they first view themselves in a mirror as
children. Likewise, viewers identify with his characters and the movie as a
reflection of themselves Tsialides (2021). The audience adopts
not only the characteristics of the film characters but also the props they
utilise Jung
(2013). The main protagonists
also regularly use alcohol and cigarettes. According to the catharsis effect,
viewers in movies seek pleasure from a character's action, which viewers do not
do in real life by Lacan's symbolic order Ebersole
(2015). Symbolic order, such
as family, friends, and school, has a shared moral code that a person is afraid
to violate Asiner (2020). However, in modern
society, drunkenness and smoking are widely accepted as widespread vices, which
makes it simple for viewers to imitate addictive behaviours from movies. To
analyse the smoking and drinking scenes in the movie, psychological study is
required.
The Kannada movie KGF 2 was made available in five
different languages in India. This made the image really
pan-Indian. The movie has several scenes that reawaken the smoking and
intoxication demons. Christian Metz believes moviegoers relate to the movies
they see Buckland
(2017). The viewer's
unconscious (or self-conscious) mind was respectful of the film source while
watching it. It assumes the characteristics, behaviours, and actions of the
movie character while repressing emotions or perceptions like fear, wrath,
lust, heroism, and envy in favour of shadow archetypes Jung
(1991). The Carl Jung
psychoanalytic cinema theory should be used to analyse this film. Carl Jung's
theory is influenced by eastern mythology, riddles, and dreams because Sigmund
Freud's psychoanalytic film theory was clinical and scientific in the western
sense Moonchild (2016). Therefore, Carl's
psychoanalytic cinema theory was better suited to studying a western movie and
its viewers. The Carl idea also has roots in eastern mysticism. The ego
(conscious mind), the personal conscious (which contains suppressed memories),
and the collective unconscious (inherited knowledge) are the three components
of the psyche that he split into Cruz
(2021). The ego and personal
consciousness are what he referred to as. Archetypes. He divided archetypes
into six key characters. Persona, shadow, the wise old man for males, the earth
goddess for women, the anima for men, and the animus for women are all defined
by Edinger
(1992). The anima and animus
are the hidden feminine in males and masculine in females, respectively, and
the persona (false self) is the revealing personality of our self. The shadow
(real self) is the hidden dark side of our personality that has ideas, desires,
weaknesses, etc. of primal instincts (sex violence, etc). Doughty
& Etherington-Wright (2017). Only the shadow and
persona archetypes are required for the study. Rocky, the main character,
appears in the most drinking and smoking moments in the KGF-2 movie. He
consumes it in a variety of emotions and situations, including love,
aggression, heroism, envy, fury, and even just before he passes away. Since all of these occurrences (scenes) are more well-known, the
audience feels grateful to have witnessed this behaviour. Our primal
inclination shadow—Carl Jung's term for our dark side that is both conscious
and unconscious—suppresses these behaviours. When viewers lose their cool in
real life due to intense aggressiveness, envy, or other emotions or symbolic
orders pertinent to the suppressed action, they suffer from overwhelming
cravings to drink or smoke. The instinct might be one of contentment, or the
conscious mind's birr might restrain it. However, most people typically have
subpar conscious minds, particularly when it comes to emotional impulses Jones
(2022). As a result, KGF 2
frequently encourages drinking and smoking. As a result, it was chosen as a
sample using the purposive sampling method. In the movie, archetypes (universal
associations) are represented by symbols, themes, and characters, as established
by Carl Jung. The majority of movies show drinking and
smoking as archetypes in realistic settings. The archetypes in KGF 2 are the
same. So, a thorough investigation ought to be necessary. The
"psychoanalytic film theory" of Carl Jung served as the researcher's
theoretical foundation for the study.
The drinking and smoking scenes in the movie are validated
using qualitative and quantitative content analysis, and the scenes are
interpreted using focus groups. The researcher validates the situations that cause
this behavior using the shadow archetype variables
(lust, anger, greed, self-pity, etc.). The initial technique of
"Psychoanalytic Film Theory," which focuses on the culture and myths
surrounding films and how they arise from them, was "Cultural Myth Analysis"
M.D.
(2016). Movies like "KGF
2" also promoted smoking and alcoholism as cultural standards.
2. METHOD
The research methodology included qualitative and
quantitative content analysis and focus group discussion. Content analysis is
used to examine alcoholic and smoking content scene by scene. It is also
applied to collect data about triggering scenes' duration, time code, shots,
screen presence, description, character consumption, and the sense that
suppressing the behavior overshadowed the archetype.
A focus group discussion was applied to interpret the scenes according to the
shadow archetype variables (fear, anger, lust, etc.) and analyse the forces
shaping the consuming demeanor. The focus group
discussion has five members: Santhanu, Nivethitha, PoomariThilagam,
Augustin, and Nabeel. The impact of the scenes is measured by reconciling the
data from content analysis and focus group discussion. The effect was the
scene's ability to suppress the shadow archetype's smoking and drinking habits.The impact was calculated
at four levels. Negative impact: These scenes unconsciously create hatred,
disgust, or the virtue never to consume them.
Low impact: There is no suppression of the shadow archetype
in these scenes. Medium impact: These scenes never give strong suppression but
get the already consuming spectator closer to the character. Extreme impact:
These scenes can strongly suppress shadow archetype behavior,
revealing the persona archetype at the relevant or supportive symbolic order.
Some letters are used as symbols in the data analysis. They are (M) the main
character, (S) the supporting character, (B) the background character, and
(I) the indirect consumption of alcohol or smoking, like
having it in hand or near the character but not consuming it. Some scenes make
the audience imagine what the character is consuming. This type of scene is
also included in indirect consumption (D), the direct consumption of alcohol or
smoking. The researcher reconciles all the collected data and finds which
character suppresses more addictive behavior. Because
the audience identifies itself more closely with the main characters than the
other characters, he also found which emotions or senses (anger, desire,
violence, and vice versa) were mostly suppressed. Because when spectators feel
any senses or emotions in real life, the suppressed behavioral
appetite rises to consciousness and searches for the relevant symbolic order
for the reveal. Then he assesses the scenes' impact level to determine whether
the film has a strong capacity to suppress addictive behaviour over the shadow
archetype.
3. DATA
COLLECTION AND INTERPRETATION
3.1. ANALYSIS
OF KGF 2 SCENES THAT TRIGGERS SMOKING BEHAVIOR
Table 1
Table 1
S.NO.
STD
SPTD
SDOF
CS
SSS
SSB
1.
(4:20 to 4:23) =4sec
No screenpresence
VijendraIngalgi(S) tellsthat hisfather didn't know even when he starts to smoke. Spectators imaginesabouthis smoking behavior.
Andrews (S) smokes and said to Daya that Adheera
has other planstodestroyRocky after a phone call.
Andrews(I)
Thought process
Medium
25.
(2:30:44 to 2:30:55) =12sec
(2:30:44, 2:30:49, 2:30:55) [3 shots]
=3sec
VijendraIngalgi(S) explainsGuru Moorthi
wasthemastermind behindallthecrimes in KGF. At the flash back
Adheera(S), Andrews(S) and Shetty(S)were
smoking.
Adheera(D),
Andrews(I) and Shetty(D)
Heroism
and thought process
Medium
26.
(2:33:17
to
2:33:18) =2 sec
(2:33:17to2:33:18)
[1shot] =2sec
Rocky (M) smokes whiletheIndianArmy entersKGFtodestroy
it.
Rocky(D)
Heroism
Extreme
27.
(2:34:36 to 2:34:41) =6sec
(2:34:36to2:34:41)
[1shot] =6sec
Rocky(M)smokesat shipbeforehisdeath.
Rocky(D)
Heroism, Sad and
Accomplishment
Extreme
(S.NO - Scene no, STD - Smoking scenes Time
code and Duration, SPTD - Smoking screen presence Time code and Duration,
SDOF - Scene description and observation through Focus group discussion, CS -
Character that smokes, SSS - Sense that suppress the smoking behaviour
overshadow Archetypes, SSB - Strength of suppressing smoking behaviour)
Table 2
Table 2
Numberofscenestriggerssmoking behavior
27
Totaldurationofscenestriggerssmoking
behavior
11:16
NumberofShotshavingsmokingpresence
82
Totaldurationofscreenpresenceof smoking
5:13
Table 3
Table 3
Shadow Archetype senses that
triggered(T= 10)
No of scenes trigger the smoking behavior overShadowArchetype
senses
Duration of scenes that triggers smoking behaviorover Shadow Archetype
senses
No of shots havingsmoking screenpresence that
triggers
Duration of shots having smokingscreen presence that triggers
Sad
2
0:10
1
0:6
Heroism
13
8:15
49
3:13
Control
5
5:53
43
2:17
Stress
3
0:07
3
0:07
Violence
4
4:09
28
2:01
Joy
2
0:42
12
0:18
Bore
1
0:03
1
0:03
Thoughtprocess
6
2:20
18
1:33
Anger
3
4:15
35
1:40
Accomplishment
2
0:08
2
0:08
Table 4
Table 4
Characterthat
smokes(T=8)
Noofscenes
that character smokes
Durationof scenes that character smokes
Noofshotsthat character
smokingscreen presence
Duration of
character smokingscreen presence
VijendraIngalgi(S)
2
0:08
1
0:4
Rocky(M)
15
8:34
57
4:10
Adheera(S)
3
1:20
4
0:14
AGaurd(B)
1
0:03
1
0:03
Andrews(S)
3
0:28
3
0:13
Shetty(S)
3
0:55
13
0:19
A Rowdy(B)
1
0:02
1
0:02
NagaRaju(S)
1
0:10
2
0:08
Total Background character
2
0:05
2
0:05
Total Supportive character
12
3:01
23
0:58
Total Main Character
15
8:34
57
4:10
Table 5
Table 5
Scene numbers
Scene durations
Screen presence numbers
Screen presence durations
Indirect Smoking
7
1:25
12
0:28
Direct Smoking
22
10:07
75
5:23
Table 6
Table 6
Impact of
scenestriggers smoking behavior
Noofscenes haveimpact
Durationof
sceneshave impact
No of screen presencehave impact
Duration of screenpresence have impact
Negative
0
0
0
0
Low
2
0:05
2
0:05
Medium
10
2:37
23
0:58
Extreme
15
8:37
57
4:10
Figure1
Figure 1Range
of Scenes have Impact Based on Number
Figure2
Figure 2Range ofScenes haveImpact
Base on Duration
Figure 3
Figure 3Range of
Shots have Impact Based on Number
Figure 4
Figure 4Range of
Shots have Impact Based on DURation
Result: Extreme impact scenes are the majority in
scene numbers, duration, shot numbers, and screen presence. There was not even
one negative impact scene to compensate for the vigor
of Extreme impact scenes. So, it injects the brutal impact of smoking behavior over spectator's Shadow Archetypes. But the
revealing of behavior over Persona Archetype depended
on the symbolic order of every individual spectator, which the Author can't analyze. But he strongly suggests that the film strongly
impacts smoking behavior over the spectator's psyche.
3.2. ANALYSIS
OF KGF 2 SCENES THAT TRIGGERS ALCOHOL CONSUMING BEHAVIOR
Table 7
Table 7
S. NO
ATD
APTD
SDOF
CA
SAS
SAB
1.
(38:08to 38:27)
=20sec
(38:08to38:12
and 38:27) [2shots]
=6sec
Rajendra Desai(S) discuss to Andrews(S),Daya(S)
and Shetty(S) to destroy Rocky, after he take control over KGF.
Itwasacarfightscene of Rocky
to save Reena from Adheera's gang. But the scene has many frames of Adrews(S) and Daya(S) discussing abouthowtheyplanto destroyRockyusing Adheera.
Andrews(I) AndDaya(I) (2 characters)
Vengeance and Joy
Medium
3.
(58:28to 58:32)
=5sec
(58:28to58:32)
[1shots] =5sec
Andrews(S)laugh withalcoholfor the downfallofRocky.
Andrews(I)
Vengeance and Joy
Medium
4.
(1:22:8to 1:22:57)
=50sec
(1:22:08to
1:22:12) [1shots] =5sec
Guru pandian is winning the no confidence meeting against him,
at the same time the scene has Andrews(S) askDaya(S)to drink alcohol. But he tells thatRockywasagain raised.
CBI explains PM RamikasenaboutKGF and Rocky. Side by side frames has
Rocky(M) drinking alcohol and walksover
the top of his Bungalow. It was a glorifying scene of Rockyand
KGF.
Rocky(D)
Accomplishmentand Heroism
Extreme
6.
(1:42:03to 1:43:11)
=1min9 sec
(1:42:03to1:42:14,
1:42:20to1:42:24,
1:42:31to1:42:36,
1:42:45 to 1:42:48, 1:42:53 to 1:43:01, 1:43:05 to 1:43:11) [6 shots] = 43
sec
Police raiding for Rocky's Gold, at the sametimeotherscene of Rocky(M) has
alcohols. Reena was irritated by fan without
electricity. So rocky order to fly his helicopter over the top of Reena for
air.
Rocky explain his fellow charactersabout his mother, father and why he issoeagertogetGoldat the tombstone of his motherShanthi.Inthis
scene Rocky's Father (B)wasdrunkenand in take alcohol in flashback.
Rocky'sfather
(I)
Lazyand desire
Negative
10.
(2:03:013 to 2:03:15) =3sec
(2:03:13to2:03:15)
[1shot] =3sec
This is a KGF - 1 scene
comes as a flashback in Mehabooba song. Rocky (M)
drinks alcoholwhilemeeting Reenafirsttime.
Rocky(M) was drinking
alcohol by ridingtheship.Atthat
time Navy forces kill him by missiles. Rockydeathby Heroic scene presentation.
Rocky(D)
Heroism,
Accomplishment, Sad.
Extreme
(S.NO - Scene no, ATD - Alcoholic
scenes Time code and Duration, APTD - Alcohol screen presence Time code and
Duration, SDOF - Scene description and observation through Focus group
discussion, CA - Character that intake alcohol, SAS - Sense that suppress the
Alcoholic behaviourover Shadow
Archetypes, SAB - Strength of suppressing Alcoholic behaviour)
Table 8
Table 8
Numberofscenestriggersalcoholicbehavior
13
Totaldurationofscenestriggersalcoholic behavior
14:05
NumberofShotshavingAlcoholicpresence
62
TotaldurationofscreenpresenceofAlcohol
4:44
Table 9
Table 9
Shadow Archetype
senses that triggered
(T = 13)
No of scenes trigger the alcoholic behaviorover Shadow Archetype senses
Duration of
scenes that triggersalcoholic behaviorover ShadowArchetypesenses
Noofshotshaving alcohol screen presence that triggers
Durationofshots
having alcohol screen presence that triggers
Vengeance
3
3:36
11
0:37
Angry
1
0:20
2
0:06
Joy
3
4:06
10
0:36
Fear
1
0:50
1
0:05
Accomplishment
2
5:42
21
1:36
Heroism
4
8:05
34
2:47
Love
2
1:12
7
0:46
Relax
2
1:17
8
0:31
Jealous
1
0:22
2
0:14
Sad
2
5:00
17
1:24
Tension
1
0:22
2
0:14
Lazy
2
5:04
13
0:58
Desire
2
5:00
12
0:53
Table 10
Table 10
Characterthat consumes
alcohol(T=6)
Noofscenes that
characterconsumes alcohol
Durationof
scenes thatcharacterconsumes
alcohol
No of shots thatcharacterconsumingscreen
presence
Durationof
characterconsumingscreen presence
Rajendra Desai(S)
1
0:20
2
0:06
Andrews(S)
5
4:48
14
0:56
Daya(S)
2
3:30
10
0:32
Rocky(M)
5
8:08
35
2:50
Rocky's Father(B)
2
5:04
13
0:58
People(B)
1
0:01
0
0
Total Background character
3
5:05
13
0:58
Total Supportive character
8
8:38
26
1:34
Total Main Character
5
8:08
35
2:50
Table 11
Table 11
Scene numbers
Scene durations
Screen presence numbers
Screen presence durations
Indirectalcohol consuming
10
11:05
34
2:40
Directalcohol consuming
3
6:56
28
2:04
Table 12
Table 12
Impact of scenestriggers alcoholic behavior
Noofscenes haveimpact
Durationof sceneshave impact
No of screen presencehave
impact
Duration of screen presencehave impact
Negative
2
5:04
13
0:58
Low
1
0:01
0
0
Medium
5
4:48
14
0:56
Extreme
5
8:08
35
2:50
Figure 5
Figure 5Range
of Scenes have Impact Based on Number
Figure 6
Figure 6Range
of Scenes have Impact Base on Duration
Figure 7
Figure 7Range
of Hots have Impact Based on Number
Figure 8
Figure 8Range of Shots have Impact Based
on Duration
Result: Extreme impact scenes were more than others
in scene number, duration, shot number, and screen presence. Negative Impact
scenes can't compete with Extreme impact scenes. Thus, it has a devastating
impact on the spectator's Shadow Archetypes. The injected alcoholic behavior in shadow archetypes was revealed in Persona
archetypes when the symbolic order (family, friends, peers, etc.) is supportive
of the behavior. But the researcher can't analyze the symbolic order of every spectator individually.
But he confirms that the movie's alcoholic scenes strongly impact the spectator’s
psyche.
4. FINDINGS
Alcoholic and smoking behavior
strongly suppressed the spectator's shadow archetype. This is because the majority of the film contains scenes of extreme impact.
The spectator’s Shadow Archetype is conscious. They are aware of the psyche's
dark primal instinct. But they are afraid or ashamed to reveal it because of
the symbolic order (family, friends, peer group, etc.). However, when the
symbolic order is supportive of or relevant to the Shadow Archetype's dark
instincts, any harmful behavior is revealed to the
persona without any restrictions. Symbolic order depends on the spectator's
individual life, which the Author cannot analyze. But
he demonstrates that the film induces effective alcohol and smoking behaviors in the audience's psyche.
The main character Rocky has the most smoking scenes, with
an Extreme Impact of 15 scenes, 8 min 34 sec of duration, and 57 shots. His
direct smoking screen presence was 4 minutes and 10 seconds. The characters in
the film smoke for heroism in 13 major scenes totalling 8 minutes and 15
seconds and 49 shots. The shadow archetype's sense of heroism was strongly
imposed by smoking behavior. So, spectators feel a
temptation when they sense heroism in their lives. The secondary, strongly
imposed senses were thought process, violence, control, and anger. The major
smoking scene was a direct smoking scene with 22 total shots and a duration of
10 minutes and 7 seconds. The overall smoking scene had a rating of 27 with 82
shots and 11 minutes, 16 seconds of duration.
The Rocky character and the supportive character Andrews
have the majority of the five alcohol- consuming scenes. But Rocky has more
duration and glorification shots than all the other characters. Rocky is
drinking 35 shots in 8-minute, 8-second scenes. His direct alcohol-consuming
screen presence was 2 minutes and 50 seconds. So, he has the major, extreme
impact scenes to incite the audience's psyche. The majority
of the heroic sense induces alcoholism through the shadow archetype. It
has a total scene number of 4 with 34 shots and 8 minutes, 5 seconds of
duration. Vengeance, joy, accomplishment, sadness, laziness, and desire were the secondary majority of emotions induced. The indirect
alcohol- consuming scene was the majority. It has a total scene number of 10
with 34 shots and 11 minutes, 5 seconds of duration.
5. CONCLUSION
Carl Jung's psychoanalytic film theory explains how a film
imposes alcoholic and smoking behaviour on the spectator's psyche. By analysing
KGF 2, the researcher reveals the dangers of shadow archetype- suppressed
addictive behaviour. The researcher did not seek to denigrate the filmmaking,
but rather to highlight the harmful imposition of drunken and smoking behaviour
on the minds of the viewers. A pan- Indian picture like KGF-2 has more
extensive power to impose its mind on numerous spectators across India due to
its amazing hilarious content. As a result, filmmakers must be mindful of the
substance they convey in their films and their impact on the audience's minds.
The mind of spectators was more sensitive to intense entertainment movies. As a
result, it is a tool for morseling any idea or demeanor over the spectator's shadow archetype. As a
result, viewers are aware of the content they consume. Even if the researcher
cannot analyse the symbolic order of each individual spectator, we can conclude
that the rates of drinkers and smokers have increased in recent years. This
generates most of the audience's symbolic endorsement of the destructive
activity. As a result, filmmakers should use negative effect moments more
frequently to compensate for high-impact scenes in their films. As a result,
the audience's psychology does not react to alcoholic and smoking-related scenes
in movies.