Why elite BW is so whitewashed? - Page 2

Originally posted by: Talis

I really don't understand the concept of a fake accent under these circumstances.

Madonna when married to Guy Ritchie suddenly speaking English with a British accent instead of an American at age 42 is fake.

Someone learning English from a teacher, parent or environment with an American or British accent - developing an American or British accent is not fake.

When I was taught French I was not taught how to speak it with an American accent. That I did anyway didn't make me more genuine than someone who had mastered the accent.

Your first language has a huge impact on your English accent. Most of BW starkids first language is Hindi so when they are trying to speak English with an American accent it's 99% fake unless they live in America. They can't copy British accent because it is really difficult even Shraddha Kapoor in an interview said she tried to copy American accent in the beginning but failed pretty badly and what's wrong with Indian accent? Kunal Nayyar, SRK, Hrithik all have Indian accent yet they are good.

I'm also confused by what is the alternative suggested? Don't speak English with a neutral accent? Wear Indian clothes to work and school?

I get the point about not getting harmful cosmetic procedures.

The rest of it, though... we live in a global world. Like it or not, English IS the medium of communication most used in the world. Western clothing is accepted in most business places. If we insist on following our own clothing styles and language, we will be left out of the economy.

As far as Bollywood is concerned... they're catering to the audience which lives in this global world. Nawaz and Irfan are accepted by the West because talent. Hrithik is not because lack of significant talent. I doubt Hollywood would have balked if he had the same good looks combined with Nawaz's talent. Also, look at the Indian actresses the West has welcomed. PC, Aish, Deepika... all can carry Indian and Western looks with ease. Yeah, copying accent is silly in real life. But if they expect to play non Indian characters, they'd better know how to fake accents.

Originally posted by: InspectorShirke

Your first language has a huge impact on your English accent. Most of BW starkids first language is Hindi so when they are trying to speak English with an American accent it's 99% fake unless they live in America. They can't copy British accent because it is really difficult even Shraddha Kapoor in an interview said she tried to copy American accent in the beginning but failed pretty badly and what's wrong with Indian accent? Kunal Nayyar, SRK, Hrithik all have Indian accent yet they are good.

Of course your first language has an impact on your accent of secondary languages. But that accent is also informed by the age the secondary language was learned (easier if younger to master an accent), one's facility with accents, the environment and who you learned the language from and who you speak it with.

I haven't seen this show but reportedly these younger star kids and wannabe star kids don't speak Hindi as a first language so why would their English be Hindi accented?

Originally posted by: HearMeRoar

I'm also confused by what is the alternative suggested? Don't speak English with a neutral accent? Wear Indian clothes to work and school?

I get the point about not getting harmful cosmetic procedures.

The rest of it, though... we live in a global world. Like it or not, English IS the medium of communication most used in the world. Western clothing is accepted in most business places. If we insist on following our own clothing styles and language, we will be left out of the economy.

As far as Bollywood is concerned... they're catering to the audience which lives in this global world. Nawaz and Irfan are accepted by the West because talent. Hrithik is not because lack of significant talent. I doubt Hollywood would have balked if he had the same good looks combined with Nawaz's talent. Also, look at the Indian actresses the West has welcomed. PC, Aish, Deepika... all can carry Indian and Western looks with ease. Yeah, copying accent is silly in real life. But if they expect to play non Indian characters, they'd better know how to fake accents.

First of all, just don't try to act like you're British or American. Be happy with what you are rather than trying to be American or British and not even normal American or British but the posh ones who don't care about POC and actually look down on them. From what I heard from my friend, she said that one of the star kids in her class actually used to avoid Asian people and hang out with whites only like what in the inferior complexity is that.

Originally posted by: InspectorShirke

First of all, just don't try to act like you're British or American. Be happy with what you are rather than trying to be American or British and not even normal American or British but the posh ones who don't care about POC and actually look down on them. From what I heard from my friend, she said that one of the star kids in her class actually used to avoid Asian people and hang out with whites only like what in the inferior complexity is that.

If your nationality is British or American, then what? Act ungrateful to the country and people that welcomed you? It is possible to be happy with both your ethnicity and nationality.

Who is this posh person who looks down on POC only? I can guarantee most of them look down on anyone with no money, skin color no bar. Equal opportunity bigotry. The actual color that matters is green.

That doesn't mean real bigotry doesn't exist.

My family speaks with an American accent. It is natural to them. They also wear Western clothes. It would be ridiculous to expect them to do otherwise after being born here and living all their lives here.

Now, if you're living in India and copying accents for the sake of appearing posh, you're a bit silly, I'd say. Speak language to be understood. Which does mean a neutral accent if you want to get ahead in career in a global economy. You also have to dress to fit in. This has nothing to do with inferiority and everything to do with practicality.

Bollywood elite fake accents which don't come naturally to them. If they did it for a movie, it would be their job. Actually, they SHOULD be able to do it for movies.

Originally posted by: HearMeRoar

If your nationality is British or American, then what? Act ungrateful to the country and people that welcomed you? It is possible to be happy with both your ethnicity and nationality.

Who is this posh person who looks down on POC only? I can guarantee most of them look down on anyone with no money, skin color no bar. Equal opportunity bigotry. The actual color that matters is green.

That doesn't mean real bigotry doesn't exist.

My family speaks with an American accent. It is natural to them. They also wear Western clothes. It would be ridiculous to expect them to do otherwise after being born here and living all their lives here.

Now, if you're living in India and copying accents for the sake of appearing posh, you're a bit silly, I'd say. Speak language to be understood. Which does mean a neutral accent if you want to get ahead in career in a global economy. You also have to dress to fit in. This has nothing to do with inferiority and everything to do with practicality.

Bollywood elite fake accents which don't come naturally to them. If they did it for a movie, it would be their job. Actually, they SHOULD be able to do it for movies.

I am talking about Indian based starkids not the diaspora. Diaspora being whitewashed is not wrong its assimilating into the culture but the starkids want Indian/single screen audience for their career but irl they would look down on someone with an Indian accent. Kohli is an example, His English is better than most of the starkids and he doesn't fake it like starkids or the wives

Originally posted by: InspectorShirke

I am talking about Indian based starkids not the diaspora. Diaspora being whitewashed is not wrong its assimilating into the culture but the starkids want Indian/single screen audience for their career but irl they would look down on someone with an Indian accent. Kohli is an example, His English is better than most of the starkids and he doesn't fake it like starkids or the wives

Ah ok.

BW elite are for the most part uneducated and uninformed. They're masking inferiority in everything by looking down their noses on people who ARE educated and better informed.

Originally posted by: InspectorShirke

Why are they so whitewashed? I know a few people who are mates with some of the BW star kids and they say that all of them are whitewashed af. I don't get bc I have been living here for last 4 years and I can say that no one, not even white people act like white people anymore in the UK at least. Don't know about America but people in India they think they would fake their accent and would lead to validation in the West which is not true otherwise people like Hrithik etc would have been in BW than Irrfan Khan, Nawazuddin, Pankaj etc

@bold - lol what does this even mean?

Originally posted by: sev.puri

@bold - lol what does this even mean?

It means that in the head of BW elite, UK is still that posh country where all the white people drink tea, wear suits, are formal with the greetings etc but in reality the new generation of white people is changing, they are not as conservative as their forefathers, appropriate different cultures especially the black culture etc

Originally posted by: InspectorShirke

First of all, just don't try to act like you're British or American. Be happy with what you are rather than trying to be American or British and not even normal American or British but the posh ones who don't care about POC and actually look down on them. From what I heard from my friend, she said that one of the star kids in her class actually used to avoid Asian people and hang out with whites only like what in the inferior complexity is that.

I’m the first to point out fake accents but it’s not as black and white as you make out. If you’re at a boarding school for example, you’re there from ages 11 to 18 usually. Pretty long time to change accents right? You’re much more impressionable and you probably don’t want your very white classmates to make fun of your Indian accent. It’s easy for me and you to sit here and say “own your culture”, and I do say it, a lot, but it’s not that easy in practice.