Stereotyping the south...ur take?

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Posted: 15 years ago

hey guys
I have noticed many a time that south indian movies, actors and actresses are often ridiculed/ mocked at many occasions in bollywood films and tv shows. Although most of it is done in a nice way and in good taste, like in OSO (yanna rascala😆), CPD(lungi king ad😆)...I do sometimes feel that the stereotyping gets a bit too much. I talked to a couple of non-south indian friends and even they have this perception that South indian films are all about pot bellied, Moustached, ugly-looking dark skinned uncles for heros with mindless violence and overweight heroines.😕 While this was the case in the past, (and still is in some B-grade films), people who watch south films regularly like moi, know that its not exactly right today. I believe more than anything else, such stereotyping creates a kind of divide between the north and the south film industries and fuels racism in a way. I remember when ghajini and wanted released, there were reviews which trashed those films simply because they "smelt of idli-sambar" ..I mean, i agree they werent brilliant films and all...but can u really trash a film on such a basis???....

Do u think it is right to enforce such stereotypes about the south in hindi films, even if it is for some light , good-hearted humor?

Please post ur views and i BEG of you to not make this topic a battleground. Lets have a healthy discussion please 😊

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Frequent Posters

104869

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Posted: 15 years ago

that shows as a country we are so ignorant about different cultures even within our own country- we are so full of stereotypes and so racially prejudiced. And movie being a mirror of the society just reflects that.

Which is why I find it hypocritical that we Indians protest vehemently when racial bias takes place outside of India.

We need to get our house in order first.

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Larae

@Larae

Rocker

Posted: 15 years ago

well i only understand 2 languages and thats english and hindi therefore i only watch holly and bolly movies and from what i have people say some south movies are pretty good but i dont want to watch beause of 2 main reasons first i hate reading subtitles so i really cant watch any other movie that is in a different language even if it is dubbed in english i dont know it just kind of ruins the feel of the movie
and secondly i guess bollywood did stereotype south movies in that cringeworthy way making me think that all heros are uncles with mustache although i found out that its not true from some people i-f but i still get that image in my head whenever i hear about a south movie i cant help it
so i do think bollywood should stop mocking it so much coz people that like south movies will get hurt

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Sunara

@princessunara

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+ 8

Posted: 15 years ago

Originally posted by: mehar_mia1
well i only understand 2 languages and thats english and hindi therefore i only watch holly and bolly movies and from what i have people say some south movies are pretty good but i dont want to watch beause of 2 main reasons first i hate reading subtitles so i really cant watch any other movie that is in a different language even if it is dubbed in english i dont know it just kind of ruins the feel of the movie
and secondly i guess bollywood did stereotype south movies in that cringeworthy way making me think that all heros are uncles with mustache although i found out that its not true from some people i-f but i still get that image in my head whenever i hear about a south movie i cant help it
so i do think bollywood should stop mocking it so much coz people that like south movies will get hurt

i guess its the same case with me..i had a little perception difference when the film 'Boys' came n i really liked it..but that was all..i still imagine lots of uncle types n fat ladies n southern movies when i think of it..:(

n the other problem surely is the language barrier as u said..

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tina

@tina59

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Posted: 15 years ago

ok here goes my question.........whats wrong if the heroes are having moustache or " ugly looking" or if the heroines are "overweight", since when is the criteria for being good actors become they should be slim and have a perfect physique and body. I thought the only requisite should be that they should be good actors and the film should do well coz of their acting.

Ok if u want to be in shape for ur personal self or for ur role, thats a diff matter but to not watch movies or ridicule any movie coz the hero or heroine look " overweight" and "ugly" should not be in my opinion the criteria for rejecting a movie.

Thats why I like south movies coz they focus on not "looking good" which by bollywood standards is " perfect body and fair skin with no moustache etc" instead the focus is on movie and the its characters. Yes masala entertainment senseless movies are still being made in every language but the fact remains that in the south anyone can aspire to become an actor coz the prequisite of having good looks is not compulsory or necessary and thats how movies should be .........

the movie should speak of characters who we remember than the heroes who played the character.

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Sunara

@princessunara

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Posted: 15 years ago

Originally posted by: tina59
ok here goes my question.........whats wrong if the heroes are having moustache or " ugly looking" or if the heroines are "overweight", since when is the criteria for being good actors become they should be slim and have a perfect physique and body. I thought the only requisite should be that they should be good actors and the film should do well coz of their acting.

Ok if u want to be in shape for ur personal self or for ur role, thats a diff matter but to not watch movies or ridicule any movie coz the hero or heroine look " overweight" and "ugly" should not be in my opinion the criteria for rejecting a movie.

Thats why I like south movies coz they focus on not "looking good" which by bollywood standards is " perfect body and fair skin with no moustache etc" instead the focus is on movie and the its characters. Yes masala entertainment senseless movies are still being made in every language but the fact remains that in the south anyone can aspire to become an actor coz the prequisite of having good looks is not compulsory or necessary and thats how movies should be .........

the movie should speak of characters who we remember than the heroes who played the character.

ya this is true..theoretically! dnt think its exactly practical..

i'll speak 4 myself..usually i watch a movie cz of an actor/actress unless ts an exceptional case like in TZP where i watch 4 the story..and the basic reason 4 me to start liking an actor/actress s thr looks n then only i stop to consider abt their acting talent n personality..

anyway for me looks r of utmost importance in movies..may be im wrong..but 4 me if im spending my 3hr leisure time on a movie better have some eye candy..so i really set a lot of score on the looks..
e.i - take Kat i totally love her for her cute looks..n i dnt care even a lil if she acts well or not cz i can happily watch her onscreen as she is easy on the eye..

n well i dnt think im alone in this..a wrong idea..but truth..

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AreYaar

@AreYaar

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+ 19

Posted: 15 years ago

Stereotypes abound in hindi movies in general anyways...if south-indian ppl are stereotyped, so are Punjabis and Sardars...not ALL of them are boisterous, dim-witted loudmouths yet that is what 95% of bollywood movies show.

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Goth

@-Goth-

Rocker

Posted: 15 years ago

Agreed!

And also South doesn't mean JUST Tamil and idli-sambar and Yanna and vanakkam!
There are also Kannada,Malyalam,Telugu!!!!!! which are south too.

Even now many categorize southies as Tamilians! I am a southie from Delhi.... n there r many instances when people came to know that i am a southie n i got a Vanakkam n talk of idli dosa back😳 tho i am not a tamilian.....
N similarly,in south ppl first ask about India gate(understandable!) chandini chowk(what the...?!) when we mention Delhi😆All this thanks to our awesome movies!
Also showing them heavily dressed up and mostly dark n fat.... is so not done. Of course, there r such southies but hello? not EVERY1 is like that? For how long will movies continue showing only this facet?

As for south movies. Just like every other film industry it has it's own good share of good and bad films.Tho i feel south industry is a bit more male dominated than bolly. Just my observation.Bcoz if you are the actor we worship we'll take u even if you give hippo a competition in weight 😆 😆 😆 but the girls r mostly lean n starved. LOL.

@nureat01: precisely! Even punjabis are so sterotyped in south films i notice. Punjabi ho toh pagdi HONI hi chahiye! 😆 n awesome part is EVERY guy has pagdi! not just the eldest kid😆

Edited by ...Anita... - 15 years ago

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TintinleMechant

@TintinleMechant

Dazzler

Posted: 15 years ago

Honestly, stereotypes exist from both sides. Being someone whose both North and South indian, i always see it thrown both ways. South indian films constantly poke fun at 'punjabi aunties' being overweight and slutty, and punjabi boys as being dimwitten and fat kids who just like eating sweets. I think the biggest misconception is that south indian films arnt superficial, which is suuuuccchhh crap, the female leads always have to be fair, young and minus a few select actresses the rest have to be quite thin too.

Also, i find another huge misconception within Bollywood cinema is that BW actresses are the best looking because their all north indian. I don't know where the hell this idea came from, Aishwarya Rai, Amrita Rao, Genelia, Vidya Balan, Asin, Deepika, Rekha and so much more Bollywood actresses are South Indian. What usually happens is that actresses from the South get exposure in tamil films and if their really good, and good looking enough to pull in mass appeal from all over India their shifted to Bollywood. Also, a HUGE amount of the woman seen in South Indian films are hindi, or have a North Indian background.

I think no matter what stereotypes will exist, but some of them are ridiculously far-fetched.

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tina

@tina59

Sparkler

+ 3

Posted: 15 years ago

#10

Originally posted by: ...Anita...
Agreed!

And also South doesn't mean JUST Tamil and idli-sambar and Yanna and vanakkam!
There are also Kannada,Malyalam,Telugu!!!!!! which are south too.

Even now many categorize southies as Tamilians! I am a southie from Delhi.... n there r many instances when people came to know that i am a southie n i got a Vanakkam n talk of idli dosa back😳 tho i am not a tamilian.....
N similarly,in south ppl first ask about India gate(understandable!) chandini chowk(what the...?!) when we mention Delhi😆All this thanks to our awesome movies!
Also showing them heavily dressed up and mostly dark n fat.... is so not done. Of course, there r such southies but hello? not EVERY1 is like that? For how long will movies continue showing only this facet?

As for south movies. Just like every other film industry it has it's own good share of good and bad films.Tho i feel south industry is a bit more male dominated than bolly. Just my observation.Bcoz if you are the actor we worship we'll take u even if you give hippo a competition in weight 😆 😆 😆 but the girls r mostly lean n starved. LOL.

@nureat01: precisely! Even punjabis are so sterotyped in south films i notice. Punjabi ho toh pagdi HONI hi chahiye! 😆 n awesome part is EVERY guy has pagdi! not just the eldest kid😆

Also showing them heavily dressed up and mostly dark n fat.... is so not done. Of course, there r such southies but hello? not EVERY1 is like that? For how long will movies continue showing only this facet?

My question is whats wrong with being dark and fat, why make fun of it in movies. I mean there are people who are overweight, with belly, dark. Not everyone can have perfect bodies and heroes can be real life characters who are not always perfect.

This whole concept of ridiculing a particular regional movie or the industry on the basis of color and body is just not done for me. I find those people to be really conservative and narrow minded. I was in Mumbai for vacation and I was asked these exact questions.......and I was like " so ..........? whats wrong with being not perfect, its the acting that matters and the movie script and story that matters, it doesn't matter who has the perfect body and skin. If he/ she can play the character and it fits them then thats enough.

movies are an art medium, it allows people to be whatever they want to be. Many south movies are based on interior and rural areas and people down south, many of them are dark coz of the climatic nature and that does not mean that they cannot come into the field or made fun of.

finally, its all a myth that heroines down south are overweight ...infact most of them are skinny. Khusboo who is overweight, let me tell you she can give any bollywood heroine a run for their money in dance, she can dance as well as anyone.