I'm not sure how many of you heard about this in the good ole U.S. of A. but it's been pretty big news here. Actor and major public personality Shah Rukh Khan was recently detained at the "Newark Airport for two hours when he arrived to do an independence day show in Atlantic City. Let me quote from one source: The fate is Shahrukh made a spash in US media. The New York Daily News reported that 'this never happened to Arnold Schwarzenegger'. The Washington Post referred Shahrukh as 'One of India's biggest movie stars' and the New York Times took note of the incident with an agency story headlined 'Bollywood Icon Detained at US Airport.'
The detention of Shahrukh in the US turned into a big issue, so much so that the Indian Government took it seriously. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said that the Americans deserved to be paid back in the same coin for frisking beyond limits. BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad also said the detention was uncalled for." (http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/features/2009/shahrukh-humiliation-blessing-disguise-180809.html)
Khan said in an interview post-event that he was stopped only because of his last name but that he didn't think this was racially motivated. From later news posts, he has apparently said that he will not go back to India.
Point of note: His latest movie is My Name is Khan which is about the prejudices faced by South Asians after 9/11. Hmmmm....
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Rakhi Ka Swayamvar (India's Bachelorette)
I've been meaning to write about this since I got here, so here it is finally: Of course, reality television has infiltrated the lives of Indian masses. No exception to this is the Indian version of The Bachelorette. TheStar.com reported that, "According to aMap data, the final episode that ran for over two-and-half-hours got a TVR of 6.3, the highest for the show and the highest for the finals of any of the reality shows in this year". A one-time item girl (more on item numbers another time), she drew people to their television screens for the entire season as they waited with baited breath who she would pick. A collective sigh of relief could be heard when she picked NRI Canadian Elesh Parujanwala, who has said that he plans to relocated to Mumbai since he doesn't want Rakhi to choose between her career and a long-distance relationship. When I first got here, she had not yet made her decision and the entire city was buzzing about it. I was sad that I missed the finale (dinner party). I am particularly struck (as were a number of media sources) on her choice of dress during the finale. Complete in bridal regalia, she garlanded her fiance, even while she declared that she wouldn't marry him right away. I highly recommend watching the youtube of it below:
Since then, a number of news channels and talk shows have been focusing on if reality television is detrimental to India. Newest favorite: Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao (kinda like Survivor)
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