Kala Shah Kala - Is Blackface OK in India?

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return_to_hades

@return_to_hades

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 6 years ago

#11

There are cultural and historic reasons why blackface is offensive in many parts of the world. I get that India's history is different from the USA, so it doesn't shock as much. The film is a comedy and its trying to make a point - so there is some leeway.

However, I do think an actual dark-skinned person should be cast. Representation matters. Using blackface to portray discrimination against dark-skinned people feels counterproductive.

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Context matters. Tropic Thunder was a hilariously irreverent movie that threw many sociopolitical punches on many issues. Robert Downey Jr played a white method actor putting on blackface for a movie. It was a jab at method actors. If he actually put on a black face to play an actual black character- it would be a whole different thing. Most people who enjoyed Tropic Thunder would find that offensive.

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EXOL

@EXOL

Stunner

+ 7

Love Legion

Posted: 6 years ago

#12

I relate . I felt ditto when I saw the trailer. Perhaps coz am abroad too. I found it very offensive.

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Fairy_KimBokJoo

@Fairy_KimBokJoo

Navigator

Posted: 6 years ago

#13

Lmao PC literally played a North-eastern in Mary Kom...you think Indians would have a problem with this? India is violently, viciously racist and takes pride in its racism and tragic self-hatred. The dakrwashing (this isn't technically a blackface tbh because this doesn't involve racial transplantation), the virulent hate speech promoted against brown and dark-skinned Indians in sick movies like these...all in the name of comedy! Such pathetic, tragic self-hatred!! And speaking up about this sort of disgusting injustice is sensitive apparently. This is why this country doesn't move forward...because it refuses to acknowledge any existing problem. This kind of colorism is becoming even more normalized in our culture...it's sickening!

Edited by Fairy_KimBokJoo - 6 years ago

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LapinLaCocotte

@MostlyHarmIess

Stunner

+ 5

Posted: 6 years ago

#14

Originally posted by: return_to_hades

I'm curious - is blackface OK in India? Don't people see its problematic? Why not cast someone who is actually dark skinned instead of bad skin darkening? There are so many dark skinned people in India, I am sure they could find one actor who could do the role.

I was watching Thackeray and there are multiple speeches where he says he is proud to be considered India's Hitler. Would that fly in US? Not really. Does anyone care in India? Not really. We have no exposure to what really happened in the European Theater, we have no detailing of Nazi crimes in our history and for us it is just a word for dictator.

I think blackface works similarly. We have little to no exposure to black people or the issues of slavery and institutionalized racism in US or Europe. In US blackface is mostly done to mock black people. Why would be sensitized to such issues? Our exposure to Black People is mostly American pop-culture or tribals and we borrow those prejudices.

Further, how would it be a race issue? They are all Punjabis in the film. They are not different race. This dark skinned Punjabis are rare and are generally prejudiced against. It is not unusual for older people to compare dark skinned kids to coal. But it is not a race issue. The film is clearly tackling that issue and it is a start. Radical changes to views rarely ever happen and humor is a good tool to get it started.

Lastly, the actor is more popular than the lead heroes and can lead significant traffic into the Theatres. So I can see why they would go for him.

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astha36

@astha36

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 6 years ago

#15

Wasn't Robert Downey Junior given Academy Awards nomination for Tropic Thunder where he wore blackface? Apparently, it's okay in the US too.

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LapinLaCocotte

@MostlyHarmIess

Stunner

+ 5

Posted: 6 years ago

#16

Originally posted by: astha36
Wasn't Robert Downey Junior given Academy Awards nomination for Tropic Thunder where he wore blackface? Apparently, it's okay in the US too.

That is literally him mocking people who do blackface. Just like Ben Stiller mocked ridiculous Hollywood portrayals of ''retards''.

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astha36

@astha36

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 6 years ago

#17

And it's not okay I think that they only look for people from that particular community to play a particular role. That's the point of being a good actor. And of make up. You can look like any person and then act like them. Why should somebody be stopped from playing a certain character because they don't look like them? I mean it's a difference in opinion and not some hard fact.

But yes it should be done carefully and not in a way as to offend people.

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Charaiveti

@Charaiveti

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 6 years ago

#18

I think they should HV casted someone with darker skin. There r many popular dark skinned comedians. Also,if not racism, it's colourism at least. It's not something that's very comfortable to watch