'The Avengers' Indian Slum Scenes Draw Criticism from Indians

[gubbi]

The slum "issue" aside, did anyone notice that an errant Physicist - Dr. Bruce Banner (aka HULK) is working as a physician treating patients? How the hell is that even possible? Areas of expertise which are worlds apart!! Similarly with the main protagonist in the TV series 'Fringe'! A physicist who dabbles - brilliantly - with biological/life sciences and comes out triumphant everytime!

We in life sciences with all our education and experience actually spend years to understand a very minute detail of an obscure biological process and yet here we have these sci-fi characters who flit between various fields as if they are enjoying a walk in the park. We spend days or months to get a simple result which might provide a hint about our hypothesis, yet these 'scientists' who in a days work switch between "opening a portal between universes, solving a crime or diagnosing a medical condition which baffles even the most experienced doctors" - tend to get immediate results in their labs!

The nearest any TV show comes to depicting real scientists, overlooking the over-the-top geekiness/nerdyness is the Big Bang Theory. Every other show depicts scientists as super intelligent! Even the most brilliant minds of our times were/are "lazy" theoretical physicists who lifted nary a finger to conduct real experiments!!

And that folks, is my beef!

 

[Manticore]

Not quite true tbh:

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Heaven on Earth (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bride and Prejudice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Outsourced (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Darjeeling Limited - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


But naturally hollywood is going to like its stereotypes and slums do exist in India, and that is shameful, but at least India acknowledges this and is doin a lot about it. Just because India has had a relatively good economic period for the last 7-8 years doesn't mean all the horror and poverty of the last 60 years is going to disappear overnight but atleast something is being done and in a significant way.

there are a lot of tv series which have started to add indian characters in their lead.. outsourced , whos that girl , heroes , house md .... generally the shows show the upper middle class .. only rarely do they depict the slums

 

[Mercenary]

I am watching Avengers tomorrow with some Indian friends. I wonder how they will react.

 

[PakiRambo]

So let's get this straight, some people are complaining about the reality of some parts of India being shown in a movie?
Honestly who cares?

if the filmmakers wanted to portray that area and the "slums" then so be it. It's just one movie, and there are probably a lot more out there about India or any other country, with no portrayal of slums.

Instead of complaining, maybe do something about the slums then? That will change the perspective of filmmakers and the world alike when they think of India and the slums.

 

[SinoChallenger]

LOL at indians going bonkers after getting slapped on the cheek by their Anglo masters.

At least they didn't introduce a new villan for the Avengers -- the "Slum Lord" -- or new superhero "Aghori."

 

[Zabaniyah]

Well, Hollywood has its own standards.

I find it pretty hilarious that a lot of the die-hard Indian nationalists here refer to the success of the Slumdog Millionaire. Funnily, those same people criticized it for "poverty ****". And yes, there was criticism in India as well:
The Real Roots of the 'Slumdog' Protests - NYTimes.com

On another note, one Indian whined about Dr. Yunus having some Hollywood friends. What's wrong with that? Many of them engage in philanthropic activities. Is it just because he is a Bangladeshi? I'm sure Abir wouldn't have dutifully whined if Dr. Yunus is an Indian national
http://www.defence.pk/forums/bangla...ize-without-stopping-war-awami-league-gs.html

Dr. Yunus is actually a very humble man.

Now before you nationalist kids start filling your mouths with foam, it is understandable that no country wants to be portrayed negatively in media. No one does. For instance, did you know that there are many homeless people in Japan? Yes, they even sleep on newspapers in subways. But they are never showed on media

As for India, that vulnerability is higher. And honestly, you should know why. How often are Muslim or Middle Eastern countries portrayed as terrorist havens? And terror lords? Or even related to terrorism? How often is Iran portrayed as the bad guy? There are many examples.

But then, it is their view. Change can come, but it takes time.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

The slum "issue" aside, did anyone notice that an errant Physicist - Dr. Bruce Banner (aka HULK) is working as a physician treating patients? How the hell is that even possible? Areas of expertise which are worlds apart!! Similarly with the main protagonist in the TV series 'Fringe'! A physicist who dabbles - brilliantly - with biological/life sciences and comes out triumphant everytime!

We in life sciences with all our education and experience actually spend years to understand a very minute detail of an obscure biological process and yet here we have these sci-fi characters who flit between various fields as if they are enjoying a walk in the park. We spend days or months to get a simple result which might provide a hint about our hypothesis, yet these 'scientists' who in a days work switch between "opening a portal between universes, solving a crime or diagnosing a medical condition which baffles even the most experienced doctors" - tend to get immediate results in their labs!

The nearest any TV show comes to depicting real scientists, overlooking the over-the-top geekiness/nerdyness is the Big Bang Theory. Every other show depicts scientists as super intelligent! Even the most brilliant minds of our times were/are "lazy" theoretical physicists who lifted nary a finger to conduct real experiments!!

And that folks, is my beef!

this is true. i am doing physics in experimental condensed matter, not theoretical. the theoretical physicists even look down on us, as if they were too good to be soldering electronics and handling chemicals.

 

[Vinod2070]

They showed slums in that movie.

Remember the scene when Tom Cruise is driving the BMW through the slums

India thinks that it has Bollywood, and Call Centers that somehow it will change its impression.

But with what happened to Shilpa Shetty being racially abused in Big Brother

With Shah Rukh Khan being strip searched at US Airport

With India being protrayed as an area for slums, leprosy, child prostitution, etc.

And with Transformers showing an Indian Call Center Scene

So no matter how hard you guys try, you guys will always conform to that stereotype

I think your own stereotyping would have been worse to make you fake to be Indians in the West.

 

[livingdead]

Nobody is protesting in India (in the streets), it is view of some individuals, and 1 billion people can have 1 billion views.
I have seen the movie, it is time pass. Nothing special.

 

[Zabaniyah]

The slum "issue" aside, did anyone notice that an errant Physicist - Dr. Bruce Banner (aka HULK) is working as a physician treating patients? How the hell is that even possible? Areas of expertise which are worlds apart!! Similarly with the main protagonist in the TV series 'Fringe'! A physicist who dabbles - brilliantly - with biological/life sciences and comes out triumphant everytime!

We in life sciences with all our education and experience actually spend years to understand a very minute detail of an obscure biological process and yet here we have these sci-fi characters who flit between various fields as if they are enjoying a walk in the park. We spend days or months to get a simple result which might provide a hint about our hypothesis, yet these 'scientists' who in a days work switch between "opening a portal between universes, solving a crime or diagnosing a medical condition which baffles even the most experienced doctors" - tend to get immediate results in their labs!

The nearest any TV show comes to depicting real scientists, overlooking the over-the-top geekiness/nerdyness is the Big Bang Theory. Every other show depicts scientists as super intelligent! Even the most brilliant minds of our times were/are "lazy" theoretical physicists who lifted nary a finger to conduct real experiments!!

And that folks, is my beef!

Who gives a fly **** about realism? As long as the movie is entertaining as in any action film, it is fine.

Here, a man firing a minigun with his bare hands!

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

Nothing wrong,these slums do exist.No point in denying it.Nor is there any logic in portraying this as 'true face of india'.India also has great wealth and a brighter side along with its poor and darker side.Efforts are being constantly made to upgrade the life of the poor.1.2 billion is a lot of people.