The excessive attention of the media, authors and film directors towards India has produced a plethora of works which people in the West, including the so-called intellectuals just lap up in a moment's notice. The opportunistic media has metamorphosed from days of yore - India was then the archetype third world country, a land of snake-charmers - to a rising superpower(pun intended) needed to be tamed to maintain the balance of power in South Asia. It hardly bothers me that journos and authors of Western capitalist countries fill their coffers by projecting filth, squalor,inhumane living conditions,violation of human rights and chinks in the democratic armor of the largest democracy of the world. It also hardly bothers me that books on Asian contexts are sold primarily in the West - the rich countries thereby enjoy a vicarious pleasure and gloat over the deplorable state of affairs in the developing countries. What bothers me is that each one of them state the obvious facts(As if, we are not cognizant of our own sufferings) and do not propose a solution. NY Times columnist and author Thomas Friedman, in his book "World is flat" talks about everything else but the steps South Asian countries should take in order to keep the world flatter,thereafter. Even renowned HBS professor Tarun Khanna in his book "Billions of Entrepreneurs: How China and India Are Reshaping Their Futures and Yours" glosses over the most important aspects of the 21st century and stresses on aspects which only make headlines in the academic case studies.
A simple perusal of the library racks would provide you with enough testament that every Tom, Dick and Harry notwithstanding their journalistic prowess, flair of writing and depth of subject-knowledge have written books on India and China; And they keep on procreating(read producing) the same shit over and over again. Plagiarism is an understatement. In our lifetime we have/will witnessed/witness a glut of movies based on the life of the destitutes and slum dwellers of Mumbai - the latest being "SlumDog Millionaire". Though its a cinematic marvel,it is overtly palpable that this movie was made keeping in mind the "Golden Globes" and the "Oscars". Otherwise, how would you explain an uneducated slum native speaking in suave English accent? Simple, the movie was meant for western audience(eye-candies for the jury).If you believe in the-matter-of-fact data, tell me "How many full-length western movies(I am not talking about You-tube uploads) have you seen which portray the aesthetic and powerful vignettes of India"?
Here, worthy of mention is selfless westerner John Wood(http://www.leavingmicrosoftbook.com/author.html) who quit his position as Microsoft's Director of Business Development for the Greater China Region in order to found Room to Read. I offer my sincere respect to self-denying individuals such as John and not authors, commentators or journalists who write about poverty from their cushy Manhattan apartments.
Leave me alone is the cry of my motherland.
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2 comments:
Hey Sur,
Delighted to read yr blogs. Powerful, impressive stuff. And your expression, impeccable!
Agree with your reproof of the portrayal of India, with its abundant filth and squalor in the Western media. Agree also with the fact that movies like SM focus only on the global audience, highlighting, and more oft than not, exaggerating the penury of India rather than suggesting palpable solutions. But why blame the Western World only? Why expect a Westerner to be the vanguard of what the new age India is about? How many Indian directors have weaved their stories and movies with the thread of 'solutions' for the problems that we, as a nation face? How many Indian movies are stories only of the spectacular economic achiever that India has been? Movies only on Movements and Successes that Indians like you and I revel in and not as a mere adjunct to a more 'commercially viable' script? The number is arguably negligible.
Neither can we deny that behind the facade of a prosperous and an upcoming 'superpower', India is still bleeding with people who don't know where they will get their two square meals from. We are still home to a million hapless people. Yes, we have made staggering progress and the sun is shining on us, but should we be embarressed of, and oblivious to the truth that stares right on our face?
But why blame the Western World only? Why expect a Westerner to be the vanguard of what the new age India is about? How many Indian directors have weaved their stories and movies with the thread of 'solutions' for the problems that we, as a nation face? How many Indian movies are stories only of the spectacular economic achiever that India has been? Movies only on Movements and Successes that Indians like you and I revel in and not as a mere adjunct to a more 'commercially viable' script? The number is arguably negligible
Nupur, very valid points and I cannot agree with you more that we(responsible citizens) should be the guardian of the new-age India. However, lately I have seen an urgency in the Indian political arena to promote India as a brand and these promotions are not only by bureaucrats alone but also by educated politicians and acclaimed historians. In his book "India Rising", Commerce minister Kamalnath has really opened up a panoply of Indian achievements since Independence. Ramachandra Guha, the renowned Indian historian has gone to great lengths to promote India as a country and its ethos. As far as movies are concerned I would say that it has never been the willingness of the directors(Indian) to create a parallel cinema(though some maverick directors are taking the detour) to project India in all its glory. Western cinema(Hollywood,Italian and French) is more mature and has traveled further distance than its Indian counterpart, with Hollywood churning out immortal classics which not only depict the American Culture(thanks to directors John Ford, Martin Scorsese, Frank Capra) and but also fortifies the "corollary of American dominance and prosperity".
Neither can we deny that behind the facade of a prosperous and an upcoming 'superpower', India is still bleeding with people who don't know where they will get their two square meals from. We are still home to a million hapless people. Yes, we have made staggering progress and the sun is shining on us, but should we be embarressed of, and oblivious to the truth that stares right on our face?
Yes, again rightly pointed out. With 300 millions people below the age of 30( young Indians), we have serendipitously found hope which I am sure would facilitate the upward journey. And, it is the duty of any morally righteous Indian citizen to play a part in it.
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