It’s not just drug use, but the underworld connections and criminal networks associated with it that are casting a dark shadow over the dignity and the otherwise vibrant creative environment of Malayalam cinema. Stars who shine in the illuminated world of fiction are expected to be role models for the audience. Yet, the news of some among them drowning in substance abuse has shocked society.

Following the revelations made by actress Vincy Aloshious and the arrest of actor Shane Tom Chacko, the regular use of drugs on film sets has once again grabbed headlines. What was once done secretly has now alarmingly seeped into public spaces, and that is the greatest concern.

When cinema deviates from artistic freedom and aesthetic beauty to pave the way toward a drug culture that destroys society, it only leads the future generation toward ruin. Attempts to justify drug use in the name of individual freedom are obstructing collective resistance. The current events indicate that the film industry is rapidly heading towards collapse.

Just as corruption is curbed in society and institutions, cinema too must implement vigilant internal monitoring systems to identify drug users. As per the High Court's direction, Internal Complaint Committees (ICCs) should be given a decisive role on sets. The initiative for a drug-free creative environment must begin at the grassroots level of production.

The need of the hour is to ensure a safe and respectable working atmosphere not only for actors but also for the technicians and workers behind the scenes. When voices rise against drugs, they must become a conscious movement and protest — for the fall of an industry could spell the downfall of an entire generation.

Change is imperative — and it is the film stars who must be ready to lead that transformation. Be the example.