Review of Padosan
I still
meet people who think this movie is hilarious.
To me, this movie has had only lasting contribution to desi
culture- it gave birth to an incorrect and abhorrent stereotype. The South Indian musician that is played by Mehmood is not simply a caricature, it is
racist. It is offensive and
obnoxious. This character has
single-handedly made it okay for North Indians to be blissfully ignorant of
their “Madrasi” bretheren while continuing to mock them on
the basis of half-baked knowledge.
No, my North Indian friend, not
all South Indians are “Madrasis”. Not
all South Indians say “aiyyo” every three minutes. Not all South Indians speak with a thick
accent.
It has
taken an entire generation for us to put this offensive caricature behind
us. Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, for instance,
is a sensitive and accurate portrayal of South Indian sensibilities that helps
us get past the nonsense perpetuated by Padosan. Thank you, Aparna Sen.
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