International review of psychiatry
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There is a tradition of using films to teach various aspects of psychiatry and we feel that Malayalam cinema can also be used suitably to teach effectively. These films can be an invaluable resource in cultural competency training as they depict the effects of culture on psychopathology and cultural and regional influences on attitudes to mental illness and stigma. We also note that the portrayal is often far from reality but this is not a barrier for using the films as an effective alternative to traditional and didactic teaching methods. This method of teaching can stimulate interest and discussion and demystify the myths of novice students and others about mental health.
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Review Historical Article
Chitrachanchala (pictures of unstable mind): mental health themes in Kannada cinema.
Regional movies in India play an important role in portraying mental illness and also depict awareness and attitudes of society towards people with mental health problems. Kannada (the language spoken by 50 million people from the state of Karnataka in South India) cinema has produced a range of movies depicting conditions ranging from psychosis to personality disorders. ⋯ Despite Karnataka being home to some of the important psychiatrists in the country and to some of the most famous and advanced mental health training and treatment centres, depictions of treatment and the portrayal of psychiatrists continues to be caricatured. As is true of many parts of India, treatment methods are often magico-religious, which is what Kannada cinema also reflects.
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This paper provides an illustration of problems in making diagnosis based on a single film. American Psycho provides an overview of the personality traits of an individual who may be suffering from a number of potential conditions. These are discussed in relation to diagnostic categories.