We just saw Dhadak; an excellent and important film about an inter caste romance starring Jhanvi Kapoor (SriDevi’s daughter) and Ishaan Khattak (Shahid Kapoor’s half-brother).
The funny moment is when shortly after intermission was over 2 black guys walked into the cinema hall. The whole audience was so confused but they then realised they were in the wrong hall to the merriment of all.
A few observations:
(1.) Christianity is a big winner; the couple are seen attending church a few times and their most helpful friends are the Christians (we also see one of Mother’s Teresa’s missionaries).
(2.) the evil father is a riff on a BJP politician though of course the “far-right” Hindus would probably more partial to intercaste marriage simply because they want a reformed Hinduism.
(3.) Jhanvi and Ishaan have a strong pairing; Ishaan has perfected the handsome mid caste charmer (as per his other film Beyond the Clouds). Jhanvi nails her performance as the elusive strong-willed “princess” of Udaipur.
(4.) the move took an unexpected turn by showing the practical problems of rich girl marrying poor boy.
(5.) it’s amazing, as per the States, Just how much intercaste marriage is low caste boy with upper caste girl (white women black men). There is a theory about status swap in intercultural relationships. I can’t imagine this movie being made the other way round (high caste boy falling in love with low caste girl).
(6.) Hindu society has taken a deeply incisive view of itself the last two hundred years by actively rejecting all of its difficult bits (Sati, caste etc). Islam really hasn’t done that because it’s tough to do so with a literal and “infallible” religion.
(7.) I welcomed the more intimate cinematography of Udaipur and Kolkata; Bollywood is rediscovering it’s authenticity.
The original is a million times better. Bollywood has become a total rip off industry.
Lol. Did you really mean high caste boy falling in love with a low caste boy?? Gay romance in Bollywood has a long way to go.?
Haha Freudian slip!
The Bollywood version is…. in the words of my favourite movie critic…. depicting problems like a Bandra bred boy would call not getting organic avocado on his toast… a problem. I’m in the middle of watching the Marathi movie it was ‘adapted’ from and I’m so glad. Yay Netflix.
“Hindu society has taken a deeply incisive view of itself the last two hundred years by actively rejecting all of its difficult bits (Sati, caste etc). Islam really hasn’t done that because it’s tough to do so with a literal and “infallible” religion.”
You are mixing two different issues Sati and Jauhar(Padmavat). Sati as a practice was limited to specific regions in India (unlike caste). In Indian society, young widows are looked down upon, in western India it took the shape of Sati ,while in East they were sent off to temples etc. Jauhar on the other hand in post 12th century phenomena and it linked to Invasions from the N-W. Clearly the already existing practice of Sati gave fertile ground to Jauhar, but they are still different things(although related)
Good point –
In Indian society, young widows are looked down upon, in western India it took the shape of Sati ,while in East they were sent off to temples etc. Jauhar
In the west, widows, divorcees, wives looking for change etc are MILF. Many elements of “looking down” in the word MILF.
Not as extreme as South Asian “looking down”, but it is there.
If ifs anything then there was a movement to bring back Sati in late 80s /early 90s fueled by the hindutva movement. The saving grace was that the hindu right had the common sense to not meddle too much into that type of politics. The biggest BJP Rajput leader and ex Indian VP Shekhawat took a principled and public stand against Sati since his mother was a young widow herself. This helped the matters and the right wing let this revivalist movement die its natural death.
“Many elements of “looking down” in the word MILF”
Yes, looking down in a different sense.