Rohit Shetty defends Cop Universe against criticism of glorifying police brutality, encounter killings: ‘It’s important to instill fear in the society’

Rohit Shetty said that he is willing to get trolled for saying that fear should be instilled in society in order to protect innocent people from criminals.

Rohit Shetty's cop universe enjoys a loyal fanbase. (Photo: Rohit Shetty/Instagram)

Director Rohit Shetty has addressed allegations that his Singham films glorify police brutality and encounter killings, and said that he knows what the police force goes through, and has observed officers at close quarters. He said that he agrees with the idea of instilling ‘fear’ in the populace, and that he is willing to get ‘trolled’ for his beliefs. The filmmaker is best known for his shared universe of cop movies, which includes two Singham films, Simmba, Sooryavanshi, and the upcoming Indian Police Force series and a third installment in the Singham series.

In an interview with Film Companion, Rohit was asked about these complaints, and he said, “I’m clear in my head about what I’m saying. All of us here are cultured people, but that life is a totally different life. Imagine if you’re going to office and you’re meeting a druggie, a rapist, someone who has chopped the head of an innocent person. When you deal with those kinds of people, you have a different frame of mind altogether.”

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Rohit said that he knows cops who’ve had to undergo psychological counselling after witnessing the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, so he understands where they’re coming from. “Obviously I’m against killing innocent people, I’m against them taking the law in their hand. But if someone is shooting at you, you won’t welcome them with open arms, would you? It is important to instill fear in the society. I firmly believe in this, and it’s okay if I get trolled for saying this.”

Rohit said that at the end of the day, the police force does what it does to protect innocent people. “I know of an incident where they went to arrest someone, and as soon as they opened the door, they got shot at. They didn’t even have bulletproof vests, they had to protect themselves with chairs. What should they do? They will retaliate.”

His Indian Police Force stars Shilpa Shetty and Vivek Oberoi said that Rohit’s films have altered the perception of cops, who used to be mocked for being habitually late to the scene and corrupt. “What Rohit shows that they’re human, and it’s okay to err, and there’s always two sides to a coin,” Shilpa said. “He has revived that faith and respect. If you see the kind of work they put in, they don’t even get proper holidays, and they get meagre salaries,” she added. Indian Police Force will be released on Prime Video on January 19.

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