From: George Pinto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (excerpted)
I did not see the movie "Bride and Prejudice" ....the Indian girl finds happiness in a romantic relationship outside her cultural group, ..with a white English boy.
Interestingly, the movie was directed by an Indian woman. I think a neo-colonial mentality (self-inflicted) was at work.
To be happy she had to be with a white boy, an Indian was not good enough. In "Bride and Prejudice", an Indian woman falls in love with a white boy. We do not see the reverse as if Indian or Asian men are not good enough.
This racism in the movies continues today. Bollywood has it own racist version where light-skinned actors & actresses are preferred to dark-skinned ones who usually play the villain roles.
I also think some Goans are not able to see racism in its many forms.
------------------------ JC's response--------------- May 15, 2005
Dear All,
Professor George Pinto is a learned person. I personally admire him as he also makes me think.This afternoon's post (excerpted above) is no exception. Please bear with me as I key-in my thoughts:
1. re George Pinto: <I did not see the movie - Bride and Prejudice>
How many Indian movies has George Pinto been to in the past 10 years? BTW: Has he seen Shakespeare Wallah, 36 Chowringhee Lane or Mississippi Masala ?
--
2. re George Pinto: <Indian woman falls in love with a white boy. We do not see the reverse as if Indian or Asian men are not good enough>
Has he seen Shakespeare Wallah or 36 Chowringhee Lane?
What is the problem with Indian Women or Men falling in love with ANYONE they want to fall in love?
People fall in love, right ? It isn't a Sin, right? So ....? what is the deal with them getting married?
Is it that Indian Women (or men) MUST fall in love with Indians?
How about this situation with (say) a Tall, Handsome Aryan, Hindu fella. How would the Indian "community" react if he fell in love with a short, very dark but pretty Dravidian, Catholic girl ?
How about this: What happened ...Isn't a North Indian good enough for you?, Same religion girl not good enough for you, Same Caste, Same subcaste, Same Surname, Same family,....or like the Pharoahs ..Sister?
Where do we end our OWN prejudicial way of thinking. --
3.re George Pinto:<light-skinned actors & actresses are preferred to dark-skinned ones>
How do we make our own choices when we wish to get married? Have you read the origin and present prevalence of the Devadasi system? Have you seen any "Aryan Devadasis"?
Do "Indian" men play in the West and ONLY to get married in the East?
So...."white" women are OK to play with .....but not to marry. Is that the prevailing advice?
Can the girl in "Bend it like Beckham" not marry ANYONE she likes without having Racial overtones cast on her actions?
From what I know....education removes barriers. People fall in love and
express it by getting married or whatever with whomever they please.
That is one thing which has changed the rigid and horribly Prejudicial climate which existed on the subcontinent for over 4000 years.
Aryan Punjabi Hindu girls and Dravidian Christian men are falling in love (usually at University or place of work AND getting married. So are others - in all directions.
I say BRAVO to them.
I believe that very soon, the Dravidians of the subcontinent will stop calling the Aryans "WHITE" people.
The only folks left with that auto-colonial yolk will probably be the folks who live in certain parts of Hicksville, RSSpur, SkinHeadnagar and also, a few unliberated East African Goans
just my view
jc
for info:
Mississippi Masala: where Demetrius (Denzel Washington), an African American owner of a carpet cleaning business in a small Southern town who falls in love with Mina (Sarita Choudhury), an Indian woman originally from Kenya.
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