The Hindi films of the 1970's, not necessarily Bollywood fillum types, would always have an ace up its sleeve to garner the spectators' sympathy. Either the main character ('Anand', 'Mili') would be suffering the 'c' disease or a very close relative from the immediate family would need the expensive treatment, thereby making the hero compromise.
Times, they have changed. These days, movies are mostly 'entertainment, entertainment, entertainment'. No wonder, silly 'comedies', 1,2, 3, 4, ad infinitum are not tear jerkers, while serious movies deal with different themes.
Currently cancer hence is not much a presence in the reels. In the real world though, it is indeed a villain these days. Types are proliferating, patients are increasing in numbers, treatments are getting costlier by the day, what with corporate hospitals and their insurance deals/contracts!
In India, actually, the medical facilities, both the manpower, that is, specialist doctors, as well as the infrastructure, are truly efficient, absolutely world class in India so much so that medical tourism is a reality. Yet such is the cost of such care that the common man cannot afford it, especially with diseases like cancer. I have not looked up the status quo regarding this issue post-budget. So cannot say it definitively. Basically however, on this world cancer day, it is necessary to reiterate the urgent need to make medicines and treatment customer friendly!
Pratima@Cancer kills, more through the worries over the treatment whose price replicates faster than tampered meters!
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