Posted:
I have been reading various posts in this thread and almost everyone has added their point of view brilliantly. This is an awesome thread, something different from the usual ATs and the drool threads and such discussions are so refreshing to see at any forum. So Kudos to the topic maker for that !!
As for the topic...I have a completely different point of view and I hope it doesn't offend anyone.
I believe that there is a difference between a documentary, a chat show, a table discussion and fiction.
In Fiction, a writer deals with the characters he has created and his / her experiences which affect his life in a certain way. There comes a point in the story when the character, if he doesn't face hardships, cannot be shown vulnerable, cannot become an underdog and cannot gain audience sympathy. It is important at that point to show his hardships and struggles.
We all know that the concerns regarding security have become tighter in US, esp after 9/11...mainly regarding Asians...if they can detain SRK on airport for hours and harrass him on security reasons then, if that happened with Jai Kishan in Sanskaar, why do we raise a brow. He has lost his passport there. What does a person expect to do with an immigrant without passport ?? He wasn't harrassed without any base.
That 'does not' mean that they have show all Americans in bad light. I take it as Jai's individual experience which made the ground for him to meet Ummi and Bhoomi. I don't understand why it was found offensive ??
To show an experience by an individual on TV doesn't mean it is a Universal phenomeon...It's strictly individual. If a girl is shown getting raped in Delhi, it doesn't mean that all Delhiites are rapists, if a girl is cheated by a film producer in Mumbai doesn't mean that all Bollywood producers are same, if someone's bag is stolen in Chennai and he suffers a hardtime, how does it mean that Chennai is being shown in bad light...simple !
As for the American goons that has become a stereotype when shown in Hindi films and TV, if SRK faced such goons in Ra.One...then Kristen Stewart faces the similar goons in New Moon. It is not about Indian or American movie, it is just that some characters are shown in a particular way...you 'can' meet such goons...it is not something unusual.
I personally feel that the show talked about Jai's struggle in America, it can be a one-off case, but isn;'t totally impossible. It happens !!!! And there is nothing wrong in showing it.
And if we say that Americans and British don't do that... Trust me , I have been super pissed off at a number of Western shows and films for portrayal of Asian / American people as cheap, pushy, cheats, loud, mannerless jokers with broken pathetic English language, who are trying to 'fit-in' their country ...!! They do that too !!
A country is not racist...some of it's individuals are !! So I don't see any reason to generalise a case... A fiction is fiction and I try to see it like that.
I would have taken offence if it was shown on Discovery Channel / History or any News channel with some proofs, studies, data, analysis... but on Colors, in Sanskaar...I am a bit generous to allow those creative liberties which talk about an individual character's struggle, without taking a strong stand !!
As for the topic...I have a completely different point of view and I hope it doesn't offend anyone.
I believe that there is a difference between a documentary, a chat show, a table discussion and fiction.
In Fiction, a writer deals with the characters he has created and his / her experiences which affect his life in a certain way. There comes a point in the story when the character, if he doesn't face hardships, cannot be shown vulnerable, cannot become an underdog and cannot gain audience sympathy. It is important at that point to show his hardships and struggles.
We all know that the concerns regarding security have become tighter in US, esp after 9/11...mainly regarding Asians...if they can detain SRK on airport for hours and harrass him on security reasons then, if that happened with Jai Kishan in Sanskaar, why do we raise a brow. He has lost his passport there. What does a person expect to do with an immigrant without passport ?? He wasn't harrassed without any base.
That 'does not' mean that they have show all Americans in bad light. I take it as Jai's individual experience which made the ground for him to meet Ummi and Bhoomi. I don't understand why it was found offensive ??
To show an experience by an individual on TV doesn't mean it is a Universal phenomeon...It's strictly individual. If a girl is shown getting raped in Delhi, it doesn't mean that all Delhiites are rapists, if a girl is cheated by a film producer in Mumbai doesn't mean that all Bollywood producers are same, if someone's bag is stolen in Chennai and he suffers a hardtime, how does it mean that Chennai is being shown in bad light...simple !
As for the American goons that has become a stereotype when shown in Hindi films and TV, if SRK faced such goons in Ra.One...then Kristen Stewart faces the similar goons in New Moon. It is not about Indian or American movie, it is just that some characters are shown in a particular way...you 'can' meet such goons...it is not something unusual.
I personally feel that the show talked about Jai's struggle in America, it can be a one-off case, but isn;'t totally impossible. It happens !!!! And there is nothing wrong in showing it.
And if we say that Americans and British don't do that... Trust me , I have been super pissed off at a number of Western shows and films for portrayal of Asian / American people as cheap, pushy, cheats, loud, mannerless jokers with broken pathetic English language, who are trying to 'fit-in' their country ...!! They do that too !!
A country is not racist...some of it's individuals are !! So I don't see any reason to generalise a case... A fiction is fiction and I try to see it like that.
I would have taken offence if it was shown on Discovery Channel / History or any News channel with some proofs, studies, data, analysis... but on Colors, in Sanskaar...I am a bit generous to allow those creative liberties which talk about an individual character's struggle, without taking a strong stand !!
Cricket
Kumkum Bhagya
