the lucky dragon menuBollywood has a long-standing tradition of portraying Indian parents as bastions of tradition and cultural values. They are often shown as doting figures, whose rigid ideologies may clash with their children’s modern outlook but are ultimately grounded in love and concern. This romanticised portrayal is often used as a narrative device to underscore the importance of family unity and uphold the sanctity of parental authority, thereby shielding Indian parents from harsher criticisms. But Abhishek Varman’s 2014 film 2 States was a breath of fresh air, humorously taking a dig at parents who refuse to grow up, or refuse to see their children grow up.Prof Sanjay Munjal from the Department of Otolaryngology, PGI, says for the last three to four years, the department has seen a rise in cases of children speaking late, with limited language, and an increase in cases of autism, more so after Covid. “Playing games, watching the screen on phones, tabs are a one-way communication, while speech is two-way, and so it is not being developed. Less social interactions, living in their own world, just watching and listening does not provide the adequate stimulation, required in the first two years. With such young children using gadgets for hours, the effect is being seen, with the autism clinic attending to many cases in a month,” explains Dr Munjal, who says children are referred to the department after an initial diagnosis by the paediatric and psychiatry departments.