Hey growing up seeing Hindi films or Indian movies like we call them in Trinidad or like how the whole world likes to call it now Bollywood films I always saw 'white people' in them. Usually to me the 'white people' in them represented a kinda stereotype of people with 'loose morals' things considered quintessential 'un-indian like' like showing lots of skin and drinking alcohol (especially girls). Of course the stereotypes world over have been changing and there is so much cultural mixing these days. And let's not forget that on 'The Simpsons' the Indians become Pakistanis and Hindus and Muslims have their religion mixed into a new religion perhaps that is progress for peace so who knows!?
So I probably can't put my finger any longer on what the 'white people' would be stereotyped as in these films anymore. But hey it seems it is not only me who thinks the 'white people' are stereotyped generally negatively cause you will hear the British woman on the clip saying how she doesnt know but usually the westerners are portrayed as baddies in the films so...
But yea I always wondered where those 'white people' in the films used to come from I think way back in the day they used to get some light skin indians to pass as white when they couldnt get enough of them. And I've seen the same attempts to make actors look like they were African in race too. But yep in modern times they have lots of actual 'white people' in there and now I know how! Check out the clip! I like Shubash Ghai's films by the way so I am in no way critiquing the film itself here and you will see the guy covering the story has the same intent cause he does say the film put together looks exciting!
This is just a back door look at how 'the white people' come into the films...amusing really...Of course Katrina Kaif herself is half white so...dunno pretty soon the white people might be the goodies and the stars?! Course that is a whole other post about the changing ideal of beauty as a whole in India and the film industry there. But this is just an amusing video clip I stumbled onto from MSN on Slate V and they said you were free to blog it so I thought I'd share it here! So enjoy the clip and if you feel like it drop me a line and let me know what you think of it too ...just for so...To me it is interesting how in the end the guy muses about how this is a kinda reverse outsourcing in a way!
Notice in the story they keep going the 'Westerners' but to me that is just cause they dont want to bring race into it cause let's face it...it is the 'white people' they mean ...and when people say 'westerners' do they mean people living in the Western hemisphere of the earth? What do they mean by that? I mean isn't Australia the Eastern hemisphere? So really they mean race but they don't say it?
Of course I'm sure tourist seeing this may not wish to be extras again but remember this is just one guy's perspective and story and to each his own so...of course in India like any places with extreme poverty where people have to fight for survival you have to be careful if you come from a place where such a fight is not as intense due to more resources per person! White people or not...but oh yea then I forgot white people = westerners! :)
By the way Sameer Kumar looks exactly like a co-worker of mine that is Trinidadian of Indian ancestry! I can't wait to tell him one of these days! :)
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2 comments:
That is an interesting point about Westerners = white. I never thought about it like that. I agree that is what the director/narrator of the clip means.
But, in general, I think there is a distinction and noticeable differences between Americans, British and Australians. I've traveled to Australia and most them said they could pick out Americans in a crowd just based on their mannerisms and way they carried themself.
Haha!...Yea I know what you mean about being able to pick out Americans...I think globally people have this stereotype of Americans as know it alls who think they are better than others just cause they are 'Americans' of course this is just that a stereotype and although I've met many Americans like that obviously not all are and you also meet many globally conscious, global minded, smart and humble Americans all the time too and in all walks of life!
I have a classic story I tell about my time on a tour bus (it was for about a day) in the UK with a group of mostly Americans and how you have two classic examples of the stereotypes on that bus and then you had really great people that were the total opposite of the stereotype too!
Rest assured that I've never met you in person thus far but to me you seem to fall into the batch that is the opposite of the global stereotype of Americans! Especially the white ones!
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