paper - 11 Postcolonialism and Hindi Movies

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Prepared by : Megha Trived

Roll No : 18

Paper – 11 : Postcolonial Literature

M.A. ( English) : Sem – 3

Enrollment No : 2069108420170030

Batch : 2016 – 18

Email : meghatrivedi666@gmail.com

Submitted to : Smt. S. B. Gardi, Department of English MK Bhavnagar Universi

Topic : Postcolonialism and Hindi Movies

                                                  

Abstract

               As per Oxford dictionary, A theoretical approach in various disciplines that is concerned with the lasting impact of colonization in former colonies. ‘Post colonialism continues to unite historians and literary scholar’. (htt1) Post colonial studies are very vast field and this term that is the subject of an ongoing debate, because it is connected with the decline of colonialism and colonial identity. Through this study we can identify the effects of colonialism on culture and society, especially on “Third world” countries by a European nation. Postcolonial identity connected and depended on ‘Hybridity’. They struggle a lot for their rights. Under this theory many theorist gave their views regarding this, for example- Edward Said , Homibhabha, Gayatri Spivak, Salman Rushdie etc. These aspects represented in Hindi Film in a good way. The study focuses on these films - Lagaan , Rang De Basanti, English Vinglish, Queen. Through the help of this ‘ lens’ we can find that how movies worked on this kind of subject and portraying which is very well interwoven with cultural, political and literary perspective. Through these movie we can identify that how human subconscious mind works toward the black and white people, because our minds are conditioning. That’s why the Postcolonial studies already outdated but still even more necessary because still when we look from the margin, we find that ‘Whole World is postcolonial’.

Key words – Post colonialism, Lagaan, Rang de basanti, English Winglish, Queen.

                

          The word Colonialism , according to the Oxford English Dictionary, comes from the Roman 'Colonia' which meant ' farm' or ' settlement', and referred to Roman who settled in other lands but still retained their citizenship (Loomba) .Colonialism involves unequal relationships between the colonial power and the colony and often between the colonists and the indigenous peoples. Timing of the colonial period was 16th to mid 20th century, during this time European powers came on ruled and they established their colonies in Asia, Africa and America through mercantilism. (www.wikipedia.com) 

           To understand the colonial effects in more deeper way the term Post colonialism is very worth to know. Post means after colonialism, so from 1970s the term has been used by literary critics to discuss the various cultural effects of colonization on cultures and societies (Bill ashcroft) .Because post colonialism theory is a tool, through this we can find out the loose point and we can studied it very well. 

            Postcolonial theory is outdated but now has an even more necessary to play in making these links visible in the contemporary time. Because our mindset are still colonial and that’s why one or another way we continuously sing a song of white person or the white world and we feel privilege. Here is a study of Hindi movies in which postcolonial themes and concepts are presented well.

          Generally, shooting of the most of the movies done in the foreign country of white people rather than African country. For example, most of the bollywood movies shoot in the foreign country of whites than Africans which may be misinterpret the image of India to the people who are don’t know anything about India. 

         ( 1 ) Queen : - Queen is 2014 Indian comedy – drama film directed by Vikas Bahl . Kangana Ranaut ( Rani ) played a lead role and Rajkumar Rao ( Vijay ) playing supporting roles (www.wikipedia.com) Rani an under confident Punjabi girl from Rajouri, Delhi and two days before her fiancé denies to marry her, because she is very simple girl. On the other side she had dream that she will go Paris and Amsterdam for her honeymoon. But after breaking her marriage she decided to go Paris for honeymoon by herself. She went for Banker and said that,   
                                                     

रानी - जब मै १७ साल की थी ना तबसे मेरा ड्रीम है की मै अपनी फेवरेट जगा जाऊ हनीमून के लिए .

बैंकर - गोवा

रानी - नई, फॉरेन कंट्री , पेरिस, पेरिस मेरी फेवरेट जगा है . और उनकी एम्स्टर्डम . (Kangana Ranaut)

So, we all have dream to visit foreign countries no any African country, it’s shows our inner desire for white world.

When she reach Paris she meet with one girl named Vijaylaxmi. 

Vijaylaxmi : Where are you from?

Pakistani?

Rani : No I am from Rajouri, India. (Kangana Ranaut)

            It’s shows our fear when we think about the Pakistani or Muslims. It is call ‘Islamophobia’. Muslims are regarded as people who can never successfully assimilate into Western societies, or who are culturally conditioned to be violent. Recently Chin declared that don’t use anti- Muslims words on social media. (Loomba) 

Vijaylaxmi introducing herself that –I am mix Hindi, French, Spanish. Mother French Spanish, father Hindi. (Kangana Ranaut)

            The character of Vijaylaxmi represent as a Mulatto. Mulatto is a term specifically of one white and one black parent and those child born known as Mulatto identity. Vijaylaxmi also had one white baby boy named Riky, he came from her boyfriend not from her husband and she is single parent. So it’s symbolically represent the crave for white life partner. 

दादी : वहा कोई गोरा मुंडा सुंडा ही मिल जाये. (Kangana Ranaut)

It’s pointed out our deep desire to choose white groom. This point Frantz Fanon also said in his work “Black skin white mask”. 

               When Rani roaming around the Eiffel tower at that time she frightened from the black person, because this black man’s identity portrayed very frightened way he sell little Eiffel towers. Time and again this frame works in different way. In hotel she sleep outside and one black man came to just inform her that sleep inside and at that time she frighten and shouting , at that time other two persons came and protect her. So it is “Xenophobia” means fear of the unfamiliar but here not from the white persons but fear only from the black man. Rani also permit this Oleksander ( white man ) to stay with her in room not other two named Taka from Japan and Jerry from French so it’s shows that she had trust only of that white man not any other. During the cooking compilation this black man try to help her but she frighten and hide herself behind the white man. So it’s shows Racial discrimination. This black man portrayed as beggar, he played piano, sing a song and earn money, so it is the misinterpretation of African identities. So here one question arise that Are human being essentially the same or different?

               And the all problems of Rani are solved in the Paris and Amsterdam not in India, movie portray their culture so good even the characters like Rukshar and Vijaylaxmi also.

( 2 ) Rang De Basanti : Rang De Basanti is 2006 Indian Drama film written , produced and directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. The literal meaning of the title can be translated as ‘ Paint me with the colors of the spring’. The story is about British documentary filmmaker who is determine to make film on Indian freedom fighters based on a diary entries by her grandfather, former officer in Indian Imperial police. It’s like play within play narration and framed narrative is artistically edited in black and white sequences of history and present situation. Men to act in her film. They don’t take it seriously but after experienced that emotion and feeling of patriotism by living in rural Punjab acting being more effective and lively. Rang De Basanti celebrated violent path and the Gandhian path breakers like Azad Bhagat Singh, Bismil, Khan and Durgadevi. (Shahedapuri)

             The film is rich for both colonial as well as post colonial critics to unearth the meanings. Somehow, it seems that the colonial hangover is more powerfully captured than post colonial awareness. When we look at this film as postcolonial way we find some interesting things but for that we have to open our eyes and think critically then and then we observed at micro level. In the movie when British female protagonist She came on Indian airport at that time how Indian people gathered to meet her with excitement, so it’s shows Indian mindset and the impact of white person on our mind. There are two point of views to look this movie Outsider and Insider. When outsider sees the act of bribe it’s illegal for them but in India, it become normal for us. This scene very well shown in movie and how Sue react on it, camera also focused well. 

                                            

Sue : इन लोगो ने जान दी थी आज़ादी के लिए तुम्हारे देश कि. (Mehra)

           This dialogue represent that these Indian characters not know anything or they don’t focus on their own country, she came and she try to awaken them for freedom and patriotism. Without her they can’t. 

Sue : अपनी ट्रेडिशन का सम्मान करना ही चाहिए. (Mehr)

             This is outsider’s view towards the India. When Dj and Pande fight at that time Sue try to patch up them so Postcolonial theory said that why white people required for patch up?

( 3 ) English Vinglish : English Vinglish is a 2012 Indian comedy – drama film, written and directed by Gauri shinde. (www.wikipedi.com) The central character of this film is Shashi Godbole, she is a house wife and she make ladoo and sell. But she don’t know English that’s why her own husband and children make fun on her time and again. Then she went New York to attended marriage of her sister Manu’s daughter. At that time how they excited to attend visit New York, so it’s represent inner desire to visit white world, not African countries. When Shashi travel in aero plane at that time Amitab besides her and very satirical he spoken that in “only one channel is Hindi, fifty’s are English”. Then she join English class to learn English, at that time many other persons also came to learn English from Pakistan, Madras, Paris etc. So in this class one black man also there but from starting point he present well through camera work and very silent.

                                      

          This black man sit alone always in class in one corner, so how he portrayed . All students talked each other or introduced also at that time he don’t speak. But his silent speak a lot more than words. 

Ramamurthy : Khadoos fellow (devi)

                So, people use this kind of label for black man. Another black person portrayed as a watchman on station, so how this Black identity use in movies that is the big question specially in European world. Once they all classmates seat in a circle and talked on their sir and that time camera focus on this black man behind the circle and this frame symbolically represent. This black man is portrayed as a gay. At the end he speak about himself at that time all are surprised and Rama said: He talks also! (devi)

                Racism is there. In ‘ Imaginary Homelands’ Salman Rushdie also wrote on racist discrimination in his essay “ The Empire within Britain” that “ I want to suggest that racism is not a side-issue in contemporary Britain; that it’s not a peripheral minority affair. I believe that Britain is undergoing a critical phase of its post- colonial period, and this crisis is not simply economic or political. It’s crisis of the whole culture, of the society’s entire sense of itself. And racism is only the most clearly visible part of this crisis, the tip of the kind of iceberg that sinks ships”. (Rushdie)

(4) Lagaan : Lagaan is a 2001 Indian epic sports drama film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. (www.wikipedia.com).When we look at from post colonial perspective at that time we find that why people gave much important only Cricket game not any other specially in India, and why we need white man for patch up still today. In this movie also various identity represents. How white man ruled over Indian people.

                So, through these movie we can conclude that now we are free, but still our mind are colonizes. White men not ruled physically but they still ruled on us mentally. These all movies made by Indian directors but though how they put black identity or colonial people in margin. And they concentrate on this scene twice or thirst. Their cultures present well not any Asian or African country they used. These movie presents the “Sandwich identity”.

Works Cited

<https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/postcolonialism>.

Bill ashcroft, Gareth Griffths, Helen Tiffin. Post - colonial studies The key concepts. n.d.

English vinglish. Dir. Gauri Shinde. Perf. Shree devi. 2012.

Loomba, Ania. Colonialism/ postcolonialism. Oxon, 2005.

Queen. Dir. Vikas Bahl. Perf. Rajkumar Rao Kangana Ranaut. 2014.

Rang De Basnti. Dir. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. 2006.

Rushdie, Salman. Imaginary Homelands. n.d.

Shahedapuri, komal. "Review of Rang De Basnti movie." Bhavnagar, 2017.

www.wikipedi.com. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Vinglish>.

www.wikipedia.com. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism>.

www.wikipedia.com. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_(2014_film)>.

www.wikipedia.com. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagaan>.