When Cinema Normalises Domestic Violence and Surreptitious Use of Psychotropics: Movie Review of Darlings

To the Editor,

Darlings, a dark comedy directed by Jasmeet K. Reen, was released on Netflix worldwide on 5 August 2022. ¹ The movie garnered positive reviews and more than 10 million viewing hours in its first weekend, which was a record at the time. The male lead is assumably shown to have alcohol use disorder (AUD) and behavioural issues under intoxication. The female lead is a victim of intimate partner violence (IPV), especially when her husband is intoxicated. The movie portrays the desperate efforts by the female lead to prevent her husband from consuming alcohol in the first half. She then resorts to unethical and illegal means in order to take revenge for the abuse she suffers.

We aim to review the movie through a psychological and ethical lens.

Depiction of the Male Lead’s Alcohol Use: The Diagnosis

The movie, at various points, shows the male lead consuming alcohol—often every day. Some scenes have depicted the classical signs of dependence ² consumption of alcohol in the early morning hours (eye opener) and increase in quantity and frequency of alcohol use as years have passed by (tolerance). Multiple instances of behavioural issues and physical abuse under intoxication are also shown. He is suspicious towards his wife that she may be having an affair with one of her friends (ideas of infidelity). When he experiences severe abdominal pain, he is informed by the physician that he has liver cirrhosis. One can safely assume that the male lead is having serious physical and psychological harm due to AUD.

Surreptitious Use of Disulfiram

In an attempt to cut down her husband’s alcohol use, the female protagonist asks a pharmacist for medication for the same. He gives her disulfiram without a prescription. He also confidently tells her that it will not cause any serious harm or death, but just an allergic reaction upon consuming alcohol. The next scene shows her mixing two tablets from a strip (shown as disulfiram 500 mg) in a curry to administer it covertly to her husband.

It is important to note that the maximum licensed daily dose of disulfiram is 500 mg. ³ Procurement without a prescription and surreptitiously mixing disulfiram has been strictly discouraged, ⁴ as it can result in disulfiram ethanol reaction (DER) and serious side effects such as hypotension, coma and even death. ⁵ It can also cause serious neurological side effects when taken in higher than recommended doses and duration, with or without alcohol. ⁶

There are contrasting views regarding the case for surreptitious administration of medications, especially in psychiatry. ⁷ In the context of substance use disorders, the autonomy and motivation of the patient play an integral role in the treatment, and administering covert medication defeats the purpose. The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 ⁸ mandates that consent of the patient is essential for treatment if they are not incapacitated, and this basic right has been violated in the movie.

Intimate Partner Violence

Various scenes in the movie show the male lead physically assaulting his wife. The response of the victim, her neighbours and her mother is to normalize the act. The scene that follows is an interesting depiction of how the male lead apologizes for his actions and justifies them to have been carried out under the influence of alcohol. IPV is prevalent worldwide and has been associated with AUD. IPV has implications for the partner’s mental health and has been linked to depression and other mental health disorders. ⁹

It is often underreported due to a lack of awareness about reporting, sociocultural acceptance of IPV as normal, poor social and financial support and fear of being stigmatized. Routine screening for IPV by mental health professionals can provide a safe space for women to talk about their challenges.

Depiction of Psychiatric Care Facilities and Use of Psychotropics

When all efforts go in vain, the female lead decides to retaliate and asks one of her acquaintances about a Pagalkhana, (psychiatric hospital). One of the scenes in the movie depicts a psychiatric care facility, where patients are seen laughing inappropriately and dressed shabbily. The acquaintance is shown to procure an injectable drug known to ‘knock out’ people. This portrayal of mental health establishments and the easy access to psychotropics that supposedly sedate patients can significantly increase the already prevalent stigma. ¹⁰

Conclusion

The movie Darlings does show important issues including alcohol use and harms related to it such as IPV, but the portrayal of the covert administration and the use of psychotropics without a medical indication could have been avoided. Also, information about AUD and its management options along with immediate reporting of IPV could have been advocated during or after the movie ends. Certain themes could have been covered such as empowering women about legal options for domestic violence, advertising helpline numbers and educating them about government-enlisted schemes such as ‘Sakhi’, which is a one-stop centre to address the needs of women facing physical, sexual, emotional or economic abuse.