The ongoing discussion about whether society imitates art or art imitates society continues, especially as real-life events increasingly resemble fictional narratives.
Recent incidents have raised alarms: movies and web series like Shahid Kapoor’s "Farzi" are being linked to actual criminal activities. Below are specific cases where fictional portrayals are said to have influenced criminal behavior.
Six people were recently arrested by Karnataka police for making fake money, allegedly influenced by Shahid Kapoor's web series "Farzi." The group, caught in Belagavi, Karnataka, was accused of producing counterfeit ₹100 and ₹500 notes.
In June 2024, Shivprasad Dhurve, also known as Halka Dhurve, was sentenced to life in prison for a series of murders in 2022. Shivprasad targeted night guards in Sagar and Bhopal, brutally killing five individuals as they slept on duty.
After his arrest and while being taken to court, he admitted to being influenced by Rocky Bhai, a fictional character played by Yash in the movie KGF 2.
In January, a young mother in Surat took cues from Ajay Devgn’s popular film series Drishyam when she murdered her two-year-old son, Veer.
The incident closely mirrored the movie's plot: the accused, a laborer named Nayna, first reported her son missing to the police and joined in the search efforts. But when CCTV footage revealed no sign of Veer leaving the house, doubts arose about the mother's story. After further questioning, she eventually admitted to the crime.
In 2022, Aftab Poonawala admitted to being influenced by the crime TV series "Dexter" when he murdered his girlfriend, Shraddha Walker. Poonawala dismembered Walker's body into 36 pieces over 18 days and disposed of them in a forest in Mehrauli. He had purchased a new refrigerator and a saw specifically to carry out the crime, drawing inspiration from the show.
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