Bollywood and accents

Leading on from the nri obsession thread - why is it acceptable to audiences that when an actor/actress plays an NRI character its ok for them to speak without the actual accent (could be english or american).ie

DDLJ - Kajol/SRK
Kal ho na ho - Preity etc
K3G - Kareena
Aap ki khatir - Priyanka, Amisha

(im sure there are others)

But outsiders (katrina springs to mind, upen, jiah or actors/actresses whose voice get dubbed) get picked up for the slightest pronounciation mistakes?

^I think Abhishek said something about this post Delhi-6: There is a fear of not being comprehensible to the Indian audience if they try to do an accent. Part of the reason is also that they know people will watch their films regardless and so there is no need for an accent coach.

On the other hand, in Omkara they all got dialect coaches to get the Western UP accent right - since people are more familiar with that accent in India and would find it odd if it wasn't used (and Vishal Bharadwaj pays more attention to detail than KJo).

Since Priyanka (sorry.... she is easy target) apparently has the "knack" for "subconsciously" picking up accents, I wonder why she did not put this "talent" of her in use in Dostana and Aap ki Khatir.

These people crack me up, they fake their accents in interviews but speak in normal Indian accents in movies no matter which western country they live in. Double standard much? Makes no sense to me. If you are playing someone who's been born and brought up in Texas, speak with a goddamn Texan drawl. If you're playing someone brought up in UK, speak with British accent. Accent gives credibility to the character.

^She did use one (or actually more than one) in What's Your Rashee. But then I don't blame anyone for not watching that film.

It would give them credibility and authenticity, but when have average Bollywood films been big on that? Like I said earlier, I think it is mostly directors who don't want their actors to speak with an accent in case they are not understood by Indian audiences who make a big chunk of the people who watch the film. In India, British/American movies are often shown on TV with subtitles - the reason is probably that most people would not understand all of it due to the accents. Or perhaps they don't think the effort into doing accent training is worthwhile since people lap it up without the accents anyway.

Or you have New York where they explain away John's accent by that stuff about him learning stuff about Indian culture/language whatever it was. They could have tried to give them accents, but that is a minor problem in a film where the CIA can't just go in and arrest the guy even after all the evidence they had.

Originally posted by: -bluemoon-

^She did use one (or actually more than one) in What's Your Rashee. But then I don't blame anyone for not watching that film.<br><br>It would give them credibility and authenticity, but when have average Bollywood films been big on that? Like I said earlier, I think it is mostly directors who don't want their actors to speak with an accent in case they are not understood by Indian audiences who make a big chunk of the people who watch the film. In India, British/American movies are often shown on TV with subtitles - the reason is probably that most people would not understand all of it due to the accents. Or perhaps they don't think the effort into doing accent training is worthwhile since people lap it up without the accents anyway.<br>

Looks like I'll have to check WYR out just to see how she uses her "talent" and how good she's at it.😆

Anyway, thats just a messed up way of reasoning if that's how they think? So they think accents would be hard to understand but Tanisha's bra and chaddi under freezing BC weather in Neal n Nikki is understandable and credible? Or how about that palatial apartment in Miami that PC owns in Dostana? Thats' believeable? They seem to really take audience for granted. 🤪



Also, I thought the usual defense in Karan's favor was that his movies are made for NRI's anyway, thats why the larger than life setting. If thats the case, then why is it that his characters in KANK and KHNH speak with thick Indian accent despite being brought up in the US? Do they think that people living abroad (UK/US) also don't get American/British accent?

^I am not making an argument for believability Flaviya. Something being credible is not the same thing as something being accessible.

I mean I don't get every word spoken while watching an American film and I definitely won't be able to catch all the words in someone's Texas drawl. (It gets easier if you have watched foreign English films for a long time) But still it would be nice if films tried to be more credible and actors changed their accents for the role.

Now why KJo's films are the way they are is something only he can explain. I can just make guesses, and my guess is that he does take his audience for granted.

If you can't digest my opinions, go live in a treehouse and bake cookies. I promise I won't come after you with an e-axe.

How do you bake cookies in a treehouse? I mean where is the source for electricity where you plug in the oven? Or these must be some advanced treehouses. Sorry about my tangent.

Interesting points. I cant stand it when they say a person is from the UK, they act wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to snobby for their own good, expect things to be done (theres no maids or servants in majority of the houses here.. we actually work) and then they have the most terrible accent. So cringe worthy.

Originally posted by: -bluemoon-

^She did use one (or actually more than one) in What's Your Rashee. But then I don't blame anyone for not watching that film.

It would give them credibility and authenticity, but when have average Bollywood films been big on that? Like I said earlier, I think it is mostly directors who don't want their actors to speak with an accent in case they are not understood by Indian audiences who make a big chunk of the people who watch the film. In India, British/American movies are often shown on TV with subtitles - the reason is probably that most people would not understand all of it due to the accents. Or perhaps they don't think the effort into doing accent training is worthwhile since people lap it up without the accents anyway.

Or you have New York where they explain away John's accent by that stuff about him learning stuff about Indian culture/language whatever it was. They could have tried to give them accents, but that is a minor problem in a film where the CIA can't just go in and arrest the guy even after all the evidence they had.

I am not making an argument for believability Flaviya. Something being credible is not the same thing as something being accessible.