Whenever we Indians talk of racism elsewhere in the world—Australia is the current target of our sanctimonious ire—I squirm with embarrassment.

One has to only recall the many instances when our preference for ‘ fair skin’ comes out plainly. The popularity of fairness skin creams is testimony to this craze for fair skin. There are many reports of the contempt with which students from Africa in India are treated—their inability to rent an apartment, the sneering at them in our streets etc.
T

Here is another sort of discrimination that I wish to highlight here. I refer to the attitude of Bollywood and the Mumbai/Delhi based film media towards even the finest talent from ‘ regional cinema’.

I assume that Maniratnam is one of our better directors who has made Tamil and Hindi films. If you landed a role in his Tamil /Hindi bilingual film can you claim to have acted in a Hindi movie—assuming that you wished to make such a claim ?

Not if the following report in Hindustan Times is any indication.
You ought to act in a full fledged hindi film that has nothing whatsoever to do with any regional personality. Failing this test you could at best say that you made an indirect entry into Bollywood.

Even if Joginder were to direct your hindi film it would suffice to substantiate your claim to have acted in a Hindi movie. But Maniratnam—sorry you are not in Bollywoood yet.

Here is the obnoxious report: Priyamani too goes to Bollywood.
After Asin, Genelia D’Souza, Shriya Saran and Trisha, yet another south Indian actress is entering the Hindu film world albeit in an indirect way. Priyamani would be essaying a role in the Hindi version of Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film Ravanan.

She would be portraying the same role in the Hindi version and the National Award-winning actress is mighty excited about the significance of her character in the film. The actress, who has worked in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films, won the National Award for best actress for her performance in Tamil film Paruthiveeran.

Need I say more ? Incidentally why the term ‘South Indian actress’?How is it that Shah Rukh Khan is never referred to as ‘Delhi actor’ ? Or why is Madhuri Dixit not called ‘West Indian actress’?Is the reference to West Indies likely to suggest a particular skin colour that could put film goers off ? I believe the west is far more progressive in colour and race matters. There is an acknowledgement that there is a serious problem. Any obvious act of racism is punishable.

Incidentally the Editor of Hindustan Times [which carried this report]Vir Sanghvi has no such prejudices. I recall his statement that his Bangalore friends once told him that South India’s pace of development [excluding Kerala] matches that of China !

This will not make any difference to the attitude of some people .
I remember actor Vikram telling reporters that he was very happy in Tamil cinema. ‘I get offers from Bollywood but I know I will not be respected there.”
K.R.RAVI