Discrimination at it’s best – within our Bollywood

Having lived in the UK for a decade and then moved to the Middle East, I am very aware of how much the world is trying to overcome discrimination. The entire world is disgusted with how some racist throw abuse and violence at people simply because they are have a different skin colour. Then there are those, who fight, kill and destroy in the name of races and religions. So many divides, so many barriers, all created by us. Shame, real shame.

In the west, and even all over - many ‘real’ celebrities make a conscious attempt at what they endorse, the roles they play etc. They feel, and correctly so, that they are responsible to their thousands and millions of fans. We then have the hard-core personalities who will not do certain things, such as endorse smoking, or endorse alcohol, or never act in scenes that has any sort of cruelty to animals, or not do any scenes that will disrespect any religious sentiments. I have tremendous respect for such people, because 1) they never let money buy them and 2) they are aware that they have some ethics in life and will not compromise on them.

A few weeks back, I saw a TV commercial. It had the very much in demand Priyanca Chopra as a very simple (but still so pretty) girl who is in love with Saif. He looks at her with so much love in his eyes, but then has to go away, and he hates that moment too. Years later, she is holding a magazine and it has a picture of Saif making it big with some other girl in his arms. Priyanca is heart broken. Saif has supposedly become a star. He comes back to the village with his new woman and has obviously forgotten about his past love. When he comes into town with all the attention and paparazzi, he notices Priyanca on the sidelines, with tears in her eyes. He looks at her and then realizes who she is, but walks past with his new chick. What a beautiful but sad story yeah? Well that’s what I thought. Then the camera goes into another angle and as such it shows a close up side profile of Priyanca going left of the screen and behind her, the side close up profile of the other woman (Neha Dupia) going right of the screen. With both their faces clear on the screen, they freeze frame. Well to my disgust, this was a commercial for ‘Ponds’ cream stating that one needs to be fair, as Neha is shown as being fair than Priyanca. What the f*&k is going on here?

Seriously speaking, are we – Indian? The potential next super country of the world? The economically strong country, that is ‘thanks be to God Almighty’ progressing so well, actually watching this? Are we allowing this on our screen? In our houses? In the mindsets of our children? Is this what we want our children to be exposed to? That discrimination is a way of life? That it is ok to be put down, or worse to put down by others based on the colour of their skin? Come on India wake up.

I am disgusted with Saif. The man lived in the west. He is educated. So are these two women. What were they thinking when they signed up for this? It is clear that they have no ethics, but is that how much money can influence these disgusting greedy individuals? How would they like it, if one day their own loved ones get discriminated against in real life? Will ponds pay to mend the soul of their loved ones at that time? Do not get me wrong, I am not here to put down Ponds or any corporate, I am here to fix us - my beloved people. Saif, Priyanca, Niha and so many of our so called stars have stooped so low, BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO. You can shun the advert, and you can mend the heart, the soul and above all the mind of our young ones.

We have always seen discrimination in our films. Discrimination against races, rich and poor, fat and thin and so called ugly people. Who are these people to draw a line between us. I am sure that we all look at our children, our spouses, our loved ones as being attractive, then how would we feel if some unknown, mindless piece of shit one days comments that our loved one is either ugly, dark or poor. WE ARE GODS CHILDREN, CREATED WITH THE SPICES CALLED LIFE. WE ARE CREATED WITH THE SAME BLOOD AND FLESH, THE SAME SOUL AND WE ARE A REFLECTION OF GOD ALMIGHTY’S PASSION.

Shame on those brutes, uneducated, money hungry, greedy, shallow superficial stars who influence us in the name of cinema, comedy and product endorsement. That is them, and they are not you and me. So please my beloved people, let us make a conscious effort to not allow such idiotic snippets influence us in real life. More importantly let us celebrate this one world, our own one personal faith, being aware that we are part of this one beautiful and equal race. Let us look at our one colour called life, celebrating it all thru merely our own individual and beautiful face. God bless you all.

‘I might not be be able to change the world, but i will definitely touch the lives of the people that I meet’ - Tagore Almeida

My name is Tagore Almeida. I am a technologist by profession and an aspiring film maker by night. Read more about me and my humanitarian work at http://www.tagorealmeida.com