The movie Joker has just released and it has taken the social media by storm. From Joaquin Phoenix’s performance both as a comedian transforming later into a ‘Joker’ just kept the audience spellbound. As the name would give us a hint that the movie is going to have a lot of humour in it but is quite the opposite. The movie Joker is about a man, Arthur Fleck who was a former inpatient at a psychiatric facility and was later allowed to live with his elderly mother, Penny. Arthur had a neurological condition, a disorder that gives him an uncontrollable laughter at inappropriate moments. Arthur lives to take care of his delusional mother and aspires to become a standup comedian. He only got a job of a clown where he was bullied and beaten up by young thugs passing by every now and then. After many of such incidents, Arthur could not cope up with the humiliation and despair and decided that his talent was not for comedy but was for violence hence transformed into a Joker.
The society and its harshness left, Arthur with no other choice but violence and no escape but madness. He has portrayed a dark truth-teller because he learned that the world is a joke and nothing matters.
Everyone out there who saw the movie very much related it to the society we live in. The truth is that the increasing amount of patients suffering from stress, depression and anxiety somehow has a story deep down that has hit them very hard. Where everyone always praises the role of a hero’s this particular movie is quite the opposite, where the villian made everyone realize what kind of depression the society and people are giving them to deal with on daily basis.
Though the movie came with a special instruction that is for children 18+ and not for the faint hearted, yet there are some parents who would want their children to understand the harsh and selfish society we live in and start practicing of how to deal with it and not take to their own heart and health. Similar was the case with our celebrity couple Hira and Mani who took their kids along to watch this movie.
In conversation with Muzammil Salman Sheikh
Muzammil told us that how close he is to superhero, Batman because his late uncle (Mani’s younger brother) introduced that character to him and told him how special Batman was as the only power he has was his own brain. Mani’s younger brother who was suffering from brain tumor, showed Muzammil a very positive image of this world through some fictional characters. Sadly, Muzammil’s uncle passed away at a very young age with whom he had he some deep emotional attachment, and his death has made him a very sensitive and an emotional child.
Muzammil further added that he wanted to see the movie ‘Joker’ as he always have been taught that these fictional characters never play a negative role. He thinks that Joker was a nice person but selfish people and the society changed him into a violent person. The main cause, Muzammil gave about the Joker turning into a negative person is bullying as he stated that he himself is bullied at school so he can totally feel his pain. The most hurtful comment we heard from this little angel was that this bullying may bring some mental issues to him. He has appreciated the character of Joker, yet he wants everyone to change their behavior with each other.
Muzammil after watching the movie took it to his heart (as he already is an emotional and a sensitive child) as he could totally relate to it at such a young age. Hira Mani opened up about how, Muzammil has been bullied by his friends in school just because he has a celebrity background and he has a mother who is in actress. Muzammil went up on Instagram and shared a poster of the character ‘Joker’ stating that he actually cried for the first time after watching this movie yet this is his favorite movie.
Where the child is a bit upset because of how the society forces the Joker to change into a heartless person, at the same point he has a very positive message for us too. Muzammil wants everyone to understand that bullying or hurting each other can only lead to mental issues and we all need to fix our attitude towards each other.
Hira Mani, requests everyone to be considerate enough as she is not only a celebrity she is a mother as well and for every child out there his/her mother is the best person they have in their lives. She wants people to think before they post hurtful comments as her kids read them and take it very personally.
When we talk about mental health and ways of how we can help those who are suffering we need to understand that bulling, passing hurtful comments, body-shaming, making fun of someone’s parents or their profession is all what is causing depression and anxiety.
It is not just about Hira Mani and her son’ story, people need to understand that their one hurtful comment can ruin the other person’s confidence and mental health. Live and let live!!
