The New York Times, February 15 2064. Nominated for the Oscars is the movie Bai which means “maid” in an Indian language. Its the story of an Indian maid in the USA, working for an Indian diplomat in the city of New York. Both characters are played by British born actors of Indian descent, Jennifer Kapur and Rhea Patel. The movie was directed by Samuel Garner Affleck and has reminded many of his fathers attempts, back in 2012, to tell the heroic story of an American CIA agent in the hostile nation of Iran. The film has received accolades for its gripping and realistic portrayal of a victimized maid at the hands of a higher class diplomat. It accurately portrays the tenacious journey of American agents who intervened and ensured justice to the maid. ----------------------------------- Times of India, February 17, 2064 The “Devyani Khobragade” affair, it was called in 2013 when this became one of the most contentious battles between the US and Indian governments. Much of it died down after the Khobragades, father and daughter, joined politics and her family relocated to India. Many scams, actors and actresses entered the scene since and the public can only process so much. The movie “Bai” is getting a lot of positive reviews in the US but has ruffled feathers here in India. There has been calls in Parliament to ban this film because it portrays Indians in a poor light – going so far as to showing that more than one Indian illtreats their maid. A Pizza Hut in Mumbai, a Krispy Kreme in Bangalore and one Nike shoe in Aurangabad were burned in protest, police had to resort to force to disperse the crows. One Swedish tourist in Delhi was also raped, but it is understood that these are unrelated events though the rapists might have assumed that she was American and that the act was justified. Some Bollywood insiders are also calling for a ban of this movie since they did not employ Indian actresses. “What is wrong with our Aaradhya? Does she not look Indian enough?” a friend of the neighbor of Tushar Kapoor was quoted as asking. ------------------------------------------ The Hindu, February 16, 2064 On an insalubrious note, there has been much apprehension in India post the Oscar nomination of “Bai” – in the United States, where it has received much accolades for “stellar portrayals” and “grippingly realistic storytelling.” The bitter acrimony in Parliament and in social media on this subject are strongly reminiscent of the tension that was commonplace in the earlier half of this century. Narendra Modi, the industry-talking leader who has now attained heavenly abode, was responsible for a pogrom in 2002.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 08:26:45 +0000