In recent days, incidents of fights and violence among schoolchildren and teenagers in the country have caused serious concern in society. The footage circulating on social networks has sparked wide discussions, and various opinions have been expressed regarding the reasons for these incidents. One of the projects frequently mentioned during the discussions is the "Mikrorayon" series, which has recently gained popularity among the youth.
Some viewers believe that the fights, aggressive behaviors, and the way some characters are portrayed in the series may have a negative impact on teenagers. On the other hand, supporters of the series say that the production merely reflects the realities existing in society and cannot be held directly responsible for the incidents that occur.
But does the series really influence teenagers' behavior? Is there a connection between the recent increase in violent incidents and the "Mikrorayon" series, or are there deeper social and family factors at the root of the problem?
Medianews.az reports that the director of the series, Qulu Əsgərov, spoke to "Yeni Sabah" about the matter.
He stated that there are no wrong messages in the series and that it is impossible for viewers to be negatively influenced:
"The point is that our project consists of 12 episodes. It is not possible to understand what messages we convey without watching all the episodes completely. We definitely do not give any wrong messages to the audience. Everything there is the opposite of what it seems. Even though we initially show scenes of fights and quarrels to the audience, later we also show the consequences on screen. We are very concerned about any child joining the criminal world. That is why we decided to shoot this series. Every viewer who watches carefully can see that we try to convey to them what will happen to people at the end of the wrong path. On the contrary, every teenager aged 15-16 who watches this series should draw their own conclusion that the path they take is wrong. They need to turn back from that path before it is too late. The same applies to children of other ages as well.
The director called to watch the entire "Mikrorayon" and then draw conclusions: "It seems strange and humorous to me that people talk about such things without watching the entire process and hold those discussions. Follow the ending, then conduct your discussions. I am 36 years old. I have witnessed so many such incidents that the 'Mikrorayon' series did not even exist then. 'Valley of the Wolves' is the most famous among the series on this topic. It was so widespread that even in Azerbaijan, clothes with the series' labels were sold. Why didn't we watch those and draw wrong conclusions? Cem Yılmaz has a saying; he says a child should learn not to swear by watching me but to shoot films."
Q. Əsgərov noted that they tried to present violent scenes in the series in an ethical manner:
"I have not received any complaints about the series. I see the discussions on social media. Thankfully, there are many who see the good side of the series. I think that most of those writing negative reviews advertise themselves through the series. At least, they should make their shares in a fair manner.
We have tried to show the violent scenes depicted in the series in such an ethical manner that everyone, from children to adults, can watch these scenes. In the first episode, there is a mass fight scene among children. We have done our best to ensure that those scenes do not appear disgusting and to soften those parts, we gave the music with a symphony. We have not been in favor of creating chaos. We have also emphasized that there is a chosen path: you can either pursue your art or fight. But if you choose the wrong path, you will also see what the consequences will be."
It should be noted that on the night of June 5, a mass fight broke out in the capital. Related footage was posted on social networks. The Press Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that a police report was filed regarding the incident that occurred in the Surakhani district, Zigh settlement area:
"An investigation has been launched based on the report, the scene was inspected, participants’ statements were taken, and relevant examinations were assigned. It was determined that the incident occurred on the basis of a dispute between the parties. During the dispute, the participants inflicted injuries on each other.
Seven participants in the incident were detained. A criminal case has been initiated under the hooliganism article of the Criminal Code at the District Police Department, and the investigation continues."
Recall that "Mikrorayon" is broadcast on ITVs. The production consists of 12 episodes and is filmed in the genre of criminal drama. The series follows young protagonists (Adil, Farid, Sabir, Idris, and Dashgin) as they struggle with their environment, family problems, and confrontations with the criminal world.