Negative and Positive views of Sikhs in the Media: Difference between revisions
Wahenoor21 (talk | contribs) |
Wahenoor21 (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
==Hollywood Movies== | ==Hollywood Movies== | ||
The ''League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'' | The ''League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'' shows an Indian in the role of Captain Nemo the captain of the super advanced submarine the Nautilus from the pen of the French writer Jules Verne, published in 1870. Captain Nemo has long been admired by boys around the Western World who grow up with a romantic view of war and weapons. Like the real life Alfred Nobel, 19th Century arms maker and manufacturer and inventor of dynamite, who before his death (after realizing the countless millions of deaths, his inventions had caused) left his fortune to fund the Nobel Peace Prize, Nemo, also a great inventor, has recognized the folly of his earlier years and turned his inventive genius and vast fortune to the purpose of destroying the the great dreadnaughts of the industrial revolution, as he travels the world's oceans in his fabulous submarine. | ||
Previously portrayed as a Westerner, by such famous actors as James Mason~(Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"), Herbert Lom (of Pink Panther fame), Robert Ryan and Omar Sharif, India's Naseeruddin Shah lends his acting skills to the role in the ''League of Extraordinary Gentlemen''. Hindus and Sikhs will easily recognize Naseeruddin Shah as a Rajput, given his altar to Kali, but westerners will possibly think he is a Sikh because of his Turban, Beard and Swordsmanship. | Previously portrayed as a Westerner, by such famous actors as James Mason~(Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"), Herbert Lom (of Pink Panther fame), Robert Ryan and Omar Sharif, India's Naseeruddin Shah lends his acting skills to the role in the ''League of Extraordinary Gentlemen''. Hindus and Sikhs will easily recognize Naseeruddin Shah as a Rajput, given his altar to Kali, but westerners will possibly think he is a Sikh because of his Turban, Beard and Swordsmanship. | ||
Revision as of 14:19, 2 April 2013
This Article is about the way media is portraying the Sikh community.
The Media of today is stereotyping the Sikhs, any unbiased person can easily guess the hands behind such propaganda.
Detailed list
Please help make a detailed list of movies, TV shows, music videos, advertisements, and any other media you find that defames Sikhs. From this data we will be able to make a report which will reveal the more bitter truths about the issue.
Also as you see positive Sikh role models and positive media about Sikhs and Sikhi, add that in the positive section.
In this list please post the following:
- Name of the movie, album or serial
- Year : in which it was released
- Please write a brief account (one line) describing the objectionable character, scene, ect.
This may include:
- Jokes about Sikhs (Raja Hindustani, Mission Kashmir for example).
- Movies that give the impression that in the recent struggles of the Sikhs, the Govt was right and the Sikhs were terrorists (Shootout at Lokhandwala, Sangharsh, etc.)
Hollywood Movies
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen shows an Indian in the role of Captain Nemo the captain of the super advanced submarine the Nautilus from the pen of the French writer Jules Verne, published in 1870. Captain Nemo has long been admired by boys around the Western World who grow up with a romantic view of war and weapons. Like the real life Alfred Nobel, 19th Century arms maker and manufacturer and inventor of dynamite, who before his death (after realizing the countless millions of deaths, his inventions had caused) left his fortune to fund the Nobel Peace Prize, Nemo, also a great inventor, has recognized the folly of his earlier years and turned his inventive genius and vast fortune to the purpose of destroying the the great dreadnaughts of the industrial revolution, as he travels the world's oceans in his fabulous submarine.
Previously portrayed as a Westerner, by such famous actors as James Mason~(Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"), Herbert Lom (of Pink Panther fame), Robert Ryan and Omar Sharif, India's Naseeruddin Shah lends his acting skills to the role in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Hindus and Sikhs will easily recognize Naseeruddin Shah as a Rajput, given his altar to Kali, but westerners will possibly think he is a Sikh because of his Turban, Beard and Swordsmanship.
Again the Rodger Moore portrayal of James Bond, in the film Octopu___ the evil villian is possibly mistaken as a Sikh even though he has a well trimmed beard and sports a Nehru jacket as he carries out his attacks on the (real world) Lake Palace Hotel, Jagniwas Island, Lake Pichola, Udaipur, Rajasthan. Unlike Captain Nemo the man in the Turban in this film is a villainous assassin.
It seems that Guru Gobind Singh's gift of the Turban which had previously been the uniform of the Hindu warrior cast, Muslim Kings and the Dastar Bandhi of the Muslim 'Ulema' has come full circle as now it seems these symbols are more associated with Sikhs than with Rajputs, (and unfortunately with the Taliban and Al Qaeda) in the West.
Indian Serials
TV Serial: Anu Ki Ho Gayi Wah Bai Wah Released: Started recently Objection: This serial has portrayed a sikh guy with rubbish image. It had shown an episode in which A Clean Shaven Sardar, patka on head, Drinking wine and khanda in neck. It is said recently they shown a sikh couple doing anand karaj around fire i.e hindu ritual.
Bollywood Movies
Movie Name: Shootout at lokhandwala Year of Release 2007 Objection: Sikh revolutionaries are compared with Underworld dons
Movie Name Sangharsh Year of Release 1999 Objection: The slogan Raj Karega Khalsa is being misused and misinterpreted by Preity Zinta’s brother who is shown to be a Sikh "terrorist".
Movie : Jo Bole so nihal Release Year: 2005 Objectional Character : Sunny Deol portraying a Sikh in a very distasteful manner. His mother is shown as a joker too.
Movie : Jab we Met Release Year: 2007 Objection : Kareena Kapoor shown as dumb girl, and boosting word sikhni sikhni for no reason.
Movie : Bunty Aur Bubly Year Released : 2005 Objectional Scene : Sikh girl smoking
Movie : Gaddar - Ek Prem Katha Release Year: 2001 Objectional Character : Sunny deol as a Sikh but Muslims, in the film, call him Hindu many times. Sunny Deol (as a Sikh) represents a gvaar (translation needed?) and his friend (a sikh in cheap getup) behaves abnormally.
Movie: Hattrick Release Year: 2007 Objection : Absurd song " RABBA KHER KARE, LUT GAYA SARDAR": Song is sung by a Sikh: Labh (Singh) Janjua
Movie : Dil to Pagal Hai Release Year 1997, Objection : a Sikh knows that his hindu friend has an affair with his sister..and he uses cheap words to (unfinished thought?)
Movie : Khusboo (http://www.khushboomovie.com) Release Year: 2008 (not released yet) Objection : A sikh family is shown in wrong manner and their daughter is having affair with a hindu who is living in their house and family have no problem with their viah (translation needed). Same bollywood crap. Crazy thing is that our bollywood friend "MANMEET" is acting in this movie.
Movie : Bombay to Goa Release Year 2007 Objection : A joker looking bengali shown as sardar wearing binga sidha patka and acting mentally handicapped.
Movie : Hanuman Returns Release Year 2008 Objection : the school Headmaster of Hanuman is shown to be a Sardar who behaves in a disgusting way...note that this movie is to PROMOTE their (who is the their?) Religion...
Movie : No Entry (Yes this is really the movie's name) Release Year 2005 Objection : In a Song Anil Kapoor and Fardeen Khan wear patka and...
Movie Name Sangharsh Year of Release 1999 Objection: the slogan Raj Karega Khalsa is being misused and misinterpreted by Preity Zinta’s brother who is shown to be a ‘terrorist'…
Movie Name: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai Release Year: 1998 Objection: Objectional song: ik nikke jehe neyane nu sardar bana ke mazak uddan de usda... (translation/explanation needed)
Movie Name: Mohabbatein Year of Release 2000 Objection: Anupam Kher wears patka and....spreads Nafrat (translation needed) in mohabbatein.
Movie Name: Mission Kashmir Year of Release 2000 Objection: The movie starts from a scene where a Sikh is portrayed as a very cowardly person… and moreover this scene has nothing to do with the rest of the movie.
Movie Name: Raja Hindustani Year of Release 1996 Objection: Johnny Laver makes fun of Sikhs
Punjabi Movies
It is shame for punjabi movie industry itself, NO movie has a saabat soorat lead. Major roles played by the film's heroes have their hair trimmed and sons of sardars sikh family. These movies are a danger to sikh youth.
Some Movies:
Jee ayan nu (Harbhajan Maan)
asan nu maan watna da (Harbhajan Maan)
pind di kuri (sarabjeet cheema)
yaaran naal baharan (jimmy shergill, juhi babbar)
mannat (jimmy shergil, kulraj randhava)
Dil Apna Punjabi (Harbhajan Maan, Neeru Bajwa, etc)
Rabb Ne Banaiya Jodiaan (Babbu Maan, etc)
Waris Shah (Gurdaas Maan, Juhi Chawla, etc)
Mannat (Jimmy Sheirgill, Kulraj, etc)
Mehndi Wale Hath (New guys, one was seen in Manmohan Waris's vdo Punjabi Shera and the other one in Nachhatar Gill's Suit Patiala)
Ek Jind Ek Jaan (Aryan Vaid, Nagma, etc)
All have sikhs in them. but name ONE movie that has sikh in lead. In movie mannat turbaned sikhs were shown as "Bad guys" and clean shaven as a hero. In others,people with turbaned people like ghuggi shown as comedy characters.
Music Videos
Babbu Mann, Jazzy b and other where promotes punjabi culture but also promote Gunda gardi, Jattpuna, Nashey Pattey etc.
Jazzy b sang a song entitled "sardara" which ironically has a video that redicules sardars all throughout and tries to redefine 'sardar' as someone who has a khanda tattoo on their arm (even though they partake in intoxicants). The only keshadhari sardars in the video are shown as clowns. boycott jazzy bhee and sideshow shinda.
Folkhop in general has been promoting anti sikh version of Punjabi virsa for quite a while now. This process started with folk singers like chamkeela and surjit bindrakhia whose subject matter was often anti sikh. Unfortunately they have soiled the word "bhangra music' in the process. Real bhangra musicians were bands like Alaap, Sahotas, Heera, and Azaad (many of whome started off as religious bands).
Positive portrayals
One Movie, Starring a Sikh
Shaheed-E-Mohabbat , true story of Boota Singh, set during the Partition the movie shows the Sikhs and the Muslims both as good and bad people. Gurdas Mann (a Jatt Sikh) who plays Boota Singh a soldier who returns to Punjab after WWII is never portrayed as a comedian.
Nasseeruddin Shah was potrayed as a Rajput warrior who worshipped kali in the Movie League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. You may remember that the Rajputs as Kshatriyas considered the turban to be their exclusive 'warrior's' domain along with weapons and horses. In his conversations with Guru Gobind Singh, the promotion of people, some of whom the Pahari Rajput Sardars considered to be beneath them, to a status equal to their exclusive caste (Kshatriyas) in the formation of the Khalsa was part of their beef with the Guru. The title Sardar had previously been used by Pathans and Rajputs for some time. Seeing their neighbors trained as warriors, wearing turbans without going through the 8 million laks jiva thing and of course their jealousy and envie of the Sikh Panth as the giant Nagara (war drum) was being played and Anandpur grew daily must have been a constant topic of upset.
Do some Sikhs not know that everyone wearing a turban in a movie is not a Sikh. I have never read the book on which the Movie was made did it say he was a sikh? If the writers added a murti or called him a sikh it would be because they know little of Sikhs and even less of Rajputs.
You can credit the actual fame of Sikhs, many of whom still wear turbans, that when westerners see Nemo or the villan in 'Octopus.sy' the Bond flick that they just assume anyone in a Turban is a Sikh as there is no knowledge of the original warriors, the Rajputs in the west. All the movies that American and Europeans grow up with feature Sikhs fighting the British. The Marathas and the Rajputs are generally unknown. The view from this side of the world of Sikhs is a positive one.
Sorry the title of the Bond flick was filtered out automatically.
Films with positive portrayals of Sikhs
Bollywood
- Lagaan, A really good Criket player out to kick some British…
- Munna Bhai MBBS - I know in movie he is shown as fraudster but these type of people exists so no wrongly done here. Producer has kept not to break any code of conduct.
- Heroes - Salman Khan plays a Sikh with Kesh and Purgree, but his son Jasvinder Singh, again played by Salman Khan at the end of the movie, is shown clean shaven.
- Vijeta, excellent portrayel of a sikh as the primary character in the film…
Print Media
Sandeep (Sonny) Caberwal with Times Square billboard
- A Year in the Best-Dressed Life of Waris Ahluwalia, Vanity Fair magazine
- One of the 2010 International Best-Dressed List’s honorees is New York City and Jaipur resident Waris Ahluwalia, who (rather unsurprisingly) describes his style as East meets West. The C.F.D.A.-nominated House of Waris jewelry designer and bit-part actor, who likes wearing tailored suits from Savile Row accented with pocket squares and pink suede George Esquivel shoes, is also one of the few people in the world who isn’t afraid to wear denim on denim. Here’s a look back at some of his most memorable outfits of the past year.
