Mihika Poore
“Maine pehli baar drug li kyuki mei dad se naraz tha, doosri baar kyuki
maa bemaar thi, teesri baar tak, mei drug addict ban chuka tha”
Sanju is a biopic of Sanjay Datt, which portrays
the intense emotional phases of Sanjay’s journey as he loses his mother, was
under arrest for five years and earlier was a drug addict. Though he desired
cocaine and heroin the most, the movie revealed how he had consumed almost
every drug from Hallucinogens to Quaaludes. The audience could experience his
uncontrollable craving and helplessness. This blog attempts to understand the
power of substance abuse on an addict by looking at the accurate portrayal of
the same in the movie ‘Sanju.’
Addiction is a complex condition, a brain disease
that is caused by compulsive intake of a substance leading to harmful
consequences that can cause a substance abuse disorder. People with such
addictions acquire distorted thinking and behavior over time (“What is
Addiction”). At first, the drugs provide immense pleasure but later builds
dependence which is not effortless to break. The risk factors that originate
from substance abuse are mostly biological and environmental, which have been
displayed in the movie.
Making a transition from child to adult can be
stressful and challenging for many adolescents (Vitelli). I rest assured that
emotional disputes and peer pressure are some of the most potent elements that
affected Sanju. He was persuaded by one of his friends to try cocaine for the
first time. The symptoms of the drugs were prominent in the movie. As Sanjay
mentions, “samajh nahi aa raha kya real hai, kya imagination,” (‘I cannot
understand what’s real and what’s imagined’) and the portrayal of visual
hallucinations in the film illustrated how drugs affected him. I observed that
he was detached from reality. As a viewer, I could live through the feeling of
impotent, and powerlessness that Sanju goes through.
When he realized that drugs had ruined his life,
he decided to go to the rehabilitation center, which I believe was an excellent
message for the audience. Sadly, by then, the drugs had caused him enough
damage. To stop consumption, he had to face many withdrawal symptoms. He
pointed out that sometimes he felt cold as ice, and other times he felt as if
his body was burning. His hands would tremor, and heartbeat would suddenly
reach 150 resulting in vomiting. Stopping the consumption of drugs can lead to
withdrawal effects such as excessive sweating, insomnia, and headache. The
movie spreads a message of how the use of any substance can become challenging
to such a level that a person feels incompetent.
Substance abuse disorders have an increased
likelihood of being accompanied by mental health conditions, such as depression
and anxiety. The daily consumption of such addictive substances can also build
tolerance, use of larger and larger doses to produce the same effects
(“Addiction”). I commend the movie as it truly displays the presence of
tolerance in Sanju as he uncontrollably seeks drugs. He begs and runs away from
the rehabilitation center to his friend’s house, in search of alcohol.
Although, the movie is a real-life story and the
treatment showed would have been successful for Sanju. I felt that the
treatment was limited. To divert the attention of the patients, dancing and
running, were practiced. No other treatment or medication has been shown in the
entire movie. However, the film spreads an essential lesson of never giving up.
Moreover, Sanjay also had marvelous support from
his father and friend, Kamlesh, which was vital in his recovery from the
disorder. The movie has some Bollywood drama and twists to make it thrilling,
which might be a reason for missing out on essential details about the
disorder. However, the focus of the movie was not entirely on his substance
abuse. Moreover, the movie was seen as an experiment to whitewash Sanjay’s
lousy image. Because of which the focus of viewers shifted from substance abuse
to him being in jail and more.
At last, being a student of psychology, I could
sense Sanju’s emotions and judge the movie precisely based on the effects of
the drugs on his life by the tolerance and withdrawal symptoms displayed, and
the treatment shown. It is certain that the audience took a positive note from
the movie and understood the harsh repercussions that drugs can bring into an
individual’s life. The movie does spread an anti-drug message without
preaching.
References:
Addiction. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2019,
from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/addiction.
Vitelli, R. (n.d.). What Makes Teenagers Abuse
Drugs and Alcohol? Retrieved December 15, 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201512/what-makes-teenagers-abuse-drugs-and-alcohol.
What Is Addiction? (n.d.). Retrieved December
15, 2019, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction/what-is-addiction.
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