Priyanka Chopra is in a hot political mess. Her, now cancelled, show Quantico about an FBI agent, had as its latest plotline some Hindu Nationalists set to bomb Manhattan to blame it on Pakistan. (Because there’s a history of that [sarcasm]) – which presumably gives it a plot twist. After all Pakistan plots terror attack isn’t fiction – that’d be a documentary.)
Interestingly, from all the angry tweets centred at her, I’ve not seen any saying, ‘it’s just fiction and she’s just an actor.’ So should we care? Does it matter? Now, firstly, before I tell you why I think it very much matters, let us clarify the other reasons Priyanka is being criticized, which are irrelevant to this particular issue:
She does not dress in purdah, well okay, she has an ample bosom, which if adorning the walls of an ancient temple is fine but does not fit how some people want India to be portrayed. And of course, she dares to be a successful woman too. These are the ‘why are we not more like Ultra-Orthodox Saudi Muslims brigade; god we hate them, but they would not ever allow it, so let’s be like them…god we hate them.’
I’m seeing the Prime Minister on Wednesday. Her office has told me what to wear. ‘Smart Attire’. See happens in the evil West. Personally, I wasn’t planning to impress with my bubbling bosom billowing out of my ball gown – but were I famous enough to be considered a representative of my nation, then I may well be under tension from the personal brand and the representative one. Or I may say, ‘I’m in it for me, leave me alone.’ We shall see. Remember, some are born dutiful, some have duty thrust upon them, and some become dutiful…and some don’t give a shit. As the song goes, ‘Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.’ It doesn’t mean Joe cares, or that the nation speaks with one voice, or should turn its eyes.
“How dare she succeed in the West, and therefore be representing us, when in fact, that’s not how I want to be portrayed.” Actually, Indra Nooyi, CEO of Pepsi, and the CEOs of Google, Mastercard and Microsoft are how Indians are portrayed – so relax. Besides, one Mahatma Gandhi succeeded in the West. So again, relax. India’s image in the West is better than most, in the minds of those who matter.
So does this fictional episode matter. And is all this just yet again an underhanded attempt to control women? The reason the story-line matters is because India is in a state of defacto war with Pakistan and Pakistani terror. This story-line is exactly the one the enemy seeks to have portrayed. Assisting the enemy is the problem. If you don’t get it. Don’t worry, only 1% needs to. The rest can go about their business knowing there are men and women with guns on the fenceline.
One more reason it matters. The audience is American. The Indian Government is lobbying the American Government and people about the terror networks in Pakistan, about State sponsored terror in Kashmir and backing of Khalistan. Mixing this with fake fiction at this critical time is a propaganda coup. So fearful were Americans of this, they even had a Senator background check writers in Hollywood. He was called McCarthy. Not something India or America advocates, but outrage, certainly is fair.
The punishment? Twitter. That’s it. That’s all the punishment needed for this young lady. Enough. Move on. Sentence executed.
