I haven't blogged for a few days as it hasn't been easy to relate shopping and bargaining and overeating to public health in any meaningful way (especially after the past month of hospitals, care homes and ARV clinics).
But I'm nothing if not resourceful, so I'm going to make a blog out of a Hindi film that just came out called Apne (Yours). It's about two sons who become champion Indian boxers and fight their way to the final round of the World Championships to face a killer opponent: Luca Gracia of the United States. (Luca is African-American, which seems to make him more menacing to Indian audiences)
The film is about more than boxing. It's even about more than family honor, which is all Indians need to get roped into a movie. It's about National Pride.
These Indian brothers, played by Sunny and Bobby Deol, didn't start out as boxing champs. Their father was a contender who was banned from the sport after doping charges were leveled against him. He wants to train his younger son, Bobby, to win the Asian championship and earn the privilege of fighting against Luca. When Bobby does face Luca, the U.S. athlete cheats to win, putting grease on his gloves and smearing them on Bobby's eyes (yes, Hindi movies are this dramatic...you don't know the half of it). In just 30 days, brother Bobby decides to train himself to face Luca...not just for family honor but, as I said, for the honor of the country.
Driving home this point about country honor was interesting to me. It's telling that the world champ Luca is from the U.S., and that he is portrayed as a killer opponent who cheats to win (and who has the goods to do it). Luca even tells the Indian trio (Sunny, Bobby and dad) that it doesn't matter who wins. It's not about honor, it's the money that matters.
Does this sound familiar? First of all, does this portrayal truly reflect Indian sentiment toward the U.S.? Is it just India, or South Asia in general? Is there any truth to it?
My opinion: yes, yes, and yes.
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