From Cinema to Reality: The Violence We Consume

When the hero on screen brutally punishes one enemy after another, the theatre erupts in excitement. Blood splatters, bones crack, and slow-motion fight sequences serve as a spectacle, sending an intense thrill through the audience.

Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal sparked widespread debate for its raw depiction of revenge-driven violence. Films like KGF, Vikram, and Salaar from South Indian cinema, or Hollywood’s John Wick series, have made brutal action one of the most commercially successful genres today. In Bangladesh too, Shakib Khan’s recent films such as Toofan, Taandob, and Borbaad have drawn audiences with their mix of revenge and graphic violence.

The numbers reveal how powerful this attraction is. KGF Chapter 2 earned over ₹1,200 crore worldwide. Animal collected more than ₹900 crore despite severe criticism. John Wick: Chapter 4 alone grossed over $440 million globally. These films are not just watched; they are often watched repeatedly. While audiences enjoy other genres as well, the pull of brutal, high-octane violence feels distinctly different. The question is: Is this fascination limited to the screen, or does it reveal something deeper about the human mind?

This line between simulated brutality and actual harm can often blur unexpectedly in everyday life. We see instances where everyday, minor disputes among crowds suddenly escalate into real-world violence. The same aggression that provides entertainment from a safe distance becomes deeply unsettling when it occurs right in front of us. This reflects a long-standing human tendency to find excitement in cruelty.

History offers many examples. In ancient Rome, thousands of spectators filled the Colosseum to watch gladiators fight to the death. Slaves and prisoners of war were pitted against each other or wild animals. These “games” continued for nearly seven centuries, drawing crowds of 50,000 to 80,000 at a time. Many treated it as a festive outing. Roman rulers used such spectacles to keep the public distracted.

In medieval Europe, public executions were popular public entertainment. In London, large crowds gathered at Tyburn to watch hangings. Even today, certain traditional events worldwide continue to draw massive audiences who find thrill in the ritualised confrontation between humans and animals.

Psychologists suggest that exposure to such violence triggers the release of adrenaline and dopamine in the brain, creating a powerful rush of excitement. From an evolutionary perspective, our ancestors lived in environments where competition, dominance, and conflict were matters of survival. This may explain why violence and aggression still hold a primal appeal for many. In today’s world, cinema has become the safest and most accessible outlet for this impulse. On screen, audiences can experience intense thrills from a safe distance. This is one reason action films perform so well commercially.

The real danger emerges when this attraction completely desensitizes us in real life. When graphic violence is consumed daily as a form of leisure, it can gradually reduce our natural sensitivity to suffering. Prolonged and repeated exposure to brutal digital content can make real-world aggression appear more acceptable, even theatrical, blurring the boundaries of spontaneous anger.

We cannot simply deny that humans are drawn to high-stakes conflict. The honest starting point is to acknowledge this attraction. The next step is to distinguish clearly between fictional violence meant for entertainment and real violence that causes actual harm.

What we need is stronger media literacy, especially among the youth. Young people should be taught how to critically engage with violent content rather than consume it passively. At the same time, society must create healthier avenues for excitement and thrill that do not rely on the pain or degradation of others.

Human beings have always carried within them an attraction to power and dominance. Civilization's true test lies not in pretending this impulse does not exist, but in how consciously we choose to understand and restrain it. Making brutality entertaining is easy. Recognizing it, questioning it, and controlling its influence on our minds and society is the real responsibility.