Last night I watched "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". I wondered why so many companies and production houses collaborate to make even a small film in Hollywood (well there was, FC Films and Golden Circle Pictures and PlayTone Pictures and one I forgot!)
Well I will give you a brief tour of the film before talking anything else. Film is autobiography of a Greek Girl Toula Portokalos(Nia Vardalos) , whose father , a very very conservative Greek, (well played by Michael Constantine) is a person who believes "There aa onli too kind of person, Grik and those who wished they wer Grik!". So Toula has to go to a Greek school, eat Greek food, work in their family's Greek restaurant and listen to his father's Greek wishes "Marry Grik man, produce kids and feed them"! This is till she decides to join a computer course and then lands up in a job at a relative's travel agency. And the hero is not far !! Ian Miller (John Corbett) is a non-Greek, whom Toula had first seen in her restaurant and was hooked immediately (a really funny scene..). The two fell in love and Toula's father is baffled when he comes to know of it. But ultimately he agrees to their marriage but not before Ian is baptized in ancient Greek manner. The sequences of the family's preparation for marriage and preceeding ceremonies are hillarious and make the movie a must watch.
I won't tell any more about movie, because this is the time I raise My Big Fat Indian Doubt.
The film makes fun of Greeks. Period. The film pokes fun at huge apetite of Greeks ,their conservative nature ("Griks marry only Griks") and well their love for huge family!
But the point that I want to raise is that nobody minds!! Yes, the jokes are to be laughed at and humor is to be enjoyed. I haven't come across any incident where any Greek community has objected to anything in the film.
Now I ask you to replace the word "Greek" with "Indian". Do you find anything impossible with the plot? Well perhaps by reading you may, but believe me, when you watch the movie you won't. And now do you think that if any Hollywood (or Bollywood or for that matter any wood) producer makes this movie, there won't be any sort of 'protests'? That's my point!
Why are Indians so stingy? Why can't we laugh on ourselves? Why can't we enjoy humor?
Do you know what the recent controversy is with Aishwarya Rai-Sanjay Datt-Zayad Khan starrer "Shabd"? In a scene Zayad Khan "tries" to crack a "sardar-ji joke" and Aishwarya giggles (well she doesn't need any reason to giggle though). And guess what our Sikh community is "deeply hurt"! The Minorities Commission comes into picture and demands Sensor Board to chop this scene.
I don't want to follow up with any more examples else I would go on and on.
What is it with us?
Why is it that we laugh loudest at others but sit tight fisted ,should anyone tries to laugh at us? Perhaps this is the way we have been brought up, or maybe some thing else.
I am really unable to understand the reason. Think over it if you want, I am getting ready to smack the next man who tries to smile at me. After all me too an Indian!
Well I will give you a brief tour of the film before talking anything else. Film is autobiography of a Greek Girl Toula Portokalos(Nia Vardalos) , whose father , a very very conservative Greek, (well played by Michael Constantine) is a person who believes "There aa onli too kind of person, Grik and those who wished they wer Grik!". So Toula has to go to a Greek school, eat Greek food, work in their family's Greek restaurant and listen to his father's Greek wishes "Marry Grik man, produce kids and feed them"! This is till she decides to join a computer course and then lands up in a job at a relative's travel agency. And the hero is not far !! Ian Miller (John Corbett) is a non-Greek, whom Toula had first seen in her restaurant and was hooked immediately (a really funny scene..). The two fell in love and Toula's father is baffled when he comes to know of it. But ultimately he agrees to their marriage but not before Ian is baptized in ancient Greek manner. The sequences of the family's preparation for marriage and preceeding ceremonies are hillarious and make the movie a must watch.
I won't tell any more about movie, because this is the time I raise My Big Fat Indian Doubt.
The film makes fun of Greeks. Period. The film pokes fun at huge apetite of Greeks ,their conservative nature ("Griks marry only Griks") and well their love for huge family!
But the point that I want to raise is that nobody minds!! Yes, the jokes are to be laughed at and humor is to be enjoyed. I haven't come across any incident where any Greek community has objected to anything in the film.
Now I ask you to replace the word "Greek" with "Indian". Do you find anything impossible with the plot? Well perhaps by reading you may, but believe me, when you watch the movie you won't. And now do you think that if any Hollywood (or Bollywood or for that matter any wood) producer makes this movie, there won't be any sort of 'protests'? That's my point!
Why are Indians so stingy? Why can't we laugh on ourselves? Why can't we enjoy humor?
Do you know what the recent controversy is with Aishwarya Rai-Sanjay Datt-Zayad Khan starrer "Shabd"? In a scene Zayad Khan "tries" to crack a "sardar-ji joke" and Aishwarya giggles (well she doesn't need any reason to giggle though). And guess what our Sikh community is "deeply hurt"! The Minorities Commission comes into picture and demands Sensor Board to chop this scene.
I don't want to follow up with any more examples else I would go on and on.
What is it with us?
Why is it that we laugh loudest at others but sit tight fisted ,should anyone tries to laugh at us? Perhaps this is the way we have been brought up, or maybe some thing else.
I am really unable to understand the reason. Think over it if you want, I am getting ready to smack the next man who tries to smile at me. After all me too an Indian!
