Vir Das Tweets About How Bollywood Portrays White Women. Twitter Disagrees

New Delhi: Actor Vir Das, best known for his stand-up comedy, recently shared his views about the treatment of 'white characters' in the Indian films, 'specifically female' in Bollywood movies on Twitter. Vir Das' tweet was in wake of the recent outrage over the offensive stereotype of Indians and South Asians in the show The Simpsons through their character Apu. Vir Das wrote in his tweet, "While America takes a look at Apu and the conciousness of how Indians are portrayed in American media. Maybe we take a look at how we treat white characters, specifically female in almost every single Bollywood movie......ever?"

Twitterati, however, begged to differ and pointed out that, in fact, the 'white characters' receive equal grand treatment in the film. One Twitter user even wrote that in films such as Lagaan, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Rang De Basanti, the said female white characters were seen 'driving the narrative.' Lagaan, Rajneeti, Rang De Basanti, Kites, Love Aaj Kal, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Kabul Express, Project 2.0, Kisna: The Warrior Poet, Shivaay etc. In all films above, the so called gori actresses were seen driving the narrative and in some cases, leading..."

Take a look at Vir Das' post on Twitter and the reaction to it:
 

While America takes a look at Apu and the conciousness of how Indians are portrayed in American media. Maybe we take a look at how we treat white characters, specifically female in almost every single Bollywood movie......ever?

— Vir Das (@thevirdas) April 11, 2018

 

Lagaan, Rajniti, Rang de Basanti, Kites, Love Aaj Kal, Zindagi na milegi Dobara, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Kabul Express, Project 2.0, Kisna: The Warrior Poet, Shivaay etc.

In all films above, the so called Gori Actresses were seen driving the narrative and in some cases, leading...

— Alive (@Dhriyamana) April 11, 2018

Some Twitter users even pointed that Vir Das could have extended his support to black people as well.
 

Thank you Vir. And you can extend that to black people too. Pathetic

— Jay Serra (@jayserrao) April 11, 2018

 

Personally, I don't agree with this trend of taking offence with movie characters. But, while we are at it, let us take a hard look at how South Indians are portrayed in Hindi movies. I think that's far more important than how white people are portrayed in them.

— Manuel S M (@ManuelMadathil) April 11, 2018

 

Forget the white and African Americans. The ways some indians are treated in Bollywood makes a new case altogether e.g. Christians south indians etc.

— Hridesh (@Hrid_2050) April 11, 2018

Last month, an American documentary - The Problem With Apu - was released, which talked about whether Apu (an animated character on the TV show The Simpsons) can be considered offensive to people non-American descents, particularly Indians and South Asians.

The documentary received mixed reviews but The Simpsons' Sunday episode, where the show's makers responded to the controversy with an offhand non-apologetic remark for being "politically incorrect" created a stir.

Watch the video clip from the Sunday's episode here:
 

#TheSimpsons completely toothless response to @harikondabolu #TheProblemWithApu about the racist character Apu:

"Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect... What can you do?" pic.twitter.com/Bj7qE2FXWN

— Soham (@soham_burger) April 9, 2018

Vir Das has featured in Bollywood films such as Namastey London, Delhi Belly, Go Goa Gone and Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi.