THE DIASPORA COMES HOME: DISCIPLINING DESIRE IN DDLJ & PARDES

Hello Everybody,

How have you been? I hope you’re having a good time….I trust you do. Today in this month's blog posting, I have an essay to share with you all which is a research paper of Patricia Uberoi.This was given to me as an assignment as a part of my Sociology of Mass Communication paper when I was pursuing my Master’s in Mass Communication and Journalism when I was asked to study her (Patricia’s) paper and come out with a finding of my own.The name of her paper is –THE DIASPORA COMES HOME: DISCIPLINING DESIRE IN DDLJ & PARDES

So go on and read…..it is a slightly long paper but am very sure it'd make an interesting read. 

I will be splitting it up into two,the second half of the paper you can read the next month….till then you can assimilate what I have written and see if you agree on what I have to say…Anyway whatever it is….whether you agree or disagree, you are always welcome to share your views on Sonyaa’s Random Musings!!!

Love, Sonyaa

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THE DIASPORA COMES HOME: DISCIPLINING DESIRE IN DDLJ & PARDES

Pardes

Cast: Amrish Puri as Kishori Lal, Alok Nath as Suraj Dev, 
Shah Rukh Khan as Arjun, 
Mahima Chaudhary as Ganga, Apoorva Agnihotri as Rajeev

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge

Cast: Amrish Puri as Baldev Singh Chaudhari,Shah Rukh Khan as Raj, Kajol as Simran

In this paper Patricia Uberoi has made an in-depth analysis of two films of the mid-90’s - Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (acronym DDLJ) and Pardes. Both these films were stupendous successes both India and abroad. Common to both the films were: the love story, a typical traditional Indian family setting and of course the two principal characters of the film-Amrish Puri and Shah Rukh Khan.These are some of the similarities any viewer can spot if asked to find.

But the common plot bordering both the films is that it deals with the dilemma of Indians settled abroad and attempts to sketch their lives and delve deeper into the psyche of the NRI’s (Non-resident Indians) and their understanding of family values, culture, traditions and their approach towards marriage and relationships. Also both films deal with the problems and dilemmas of Indian families, their kins and the first generation children settled abroad and them defining, retaining and maintaining their identity in a foreign land.And no surprises at all…both these films worked wonders and did brisk business at the overseas B.O. (Box-Office)

Now the ‘diaspora’ that arises here is that both films differ in their assessment on the possibility of Indians retaining their identity in a foreign land while; DDLJ proposes that Indian family values are "portable assets" whereas Pardes suggests that "loss of cultural identity can be postponed but ultimately cannot be avoided."

Now, let’s understand what the above statements mean.By “portable assets” we mean that Indian identity can survive translocation.In DDLJ, Baldev Singh is settled with his family in London, but he’s managed to keep the Indian culture alive amidst these diasporic settings and there’s a sense of belonging to the homeland. But Pardes suggests that “loss of cultural identity can be postponed but ultimately cannot be avoided”. Here it implies that- the craze of U.S.A. (where the film is based) in terms of rich material benefits and lifestyle can make you forget your cultural identity for a moment but at certain junctures where decision-making or affirming your identity is concerned, you have to get back to your roots.So, it (cultural identity) cannot be avoided at the end of the day.

Also, if one observes Kishori Lal’s character in Pardes, it shows some kind of displacement- where on one hand he cannot leave America for the fame, wealth and opportunities it offers and on the other hand he cannot detach from his roots. So, it’s a win-win situation, where he wants to have the best of both the worlds- stay in America with all the tempting goodies it offers and be an Indian at the same time.

Now, I’ll elaborate on the underlying theme common to both the films.

They are:

1) Emphasis on family values, culture and traditions

2) Contemporary ideal style of ‘arranged love marriage’

3) Patriarchal system

4) Family honour and Conflict between individual desire and social norm

5) Issue of maintaining Indian identity in a foreign land

1)Emphasis on family values, culture and traditions:Both films have a traditional Hindu family set-up and they typically follow the daily rituals (like doing the puja), observe festivals like Karva Chauth and celebrate marriage with pomp and splendour. In DDLJ it is observed that as a matter of tradition Baldev Singh has fixed his daughter’s marriage to his friend’s son, probably sensing that when his daughter grows up she shouldn’t find a foreigner or an Indian settled abroad as her life-partner. So, on Baldev Singh’s part the hypocrisy lies that he has forgotten that he is also a pariah in a foreign land and is enjoying a materialistic life in London, but when it comes to deciding for his daughter, he wants her to marry some person whom she has not seen but someone whom he has seen, someone who is an Indian and belongs to his homeland in Punjab.And likewise in Pardes, an otherwise traditional family living in a rural village, on seeing a perfect opportunity has agreed to send their docile young girl Ganga to a foreign land even before her marriage!So, herein lies the hypocrisy in the name of cultures and tradition.

2) Contemporary ideal style of ‘arranged love marriage’:Ideally speaking, what is marriage? It is a union between two individuals who are compatible, understand and can relate to each other. But what happens if it’s the other way round, where parents select the groom and children have no other option but to approve of their parent’s choice. Here’s what we see in both the films, where the alliance is made between two families and not left to the choices of individuals. ....and what follows next in the two films is everyone’s guess…when both grooms chosen by parents turn out to be goons in disguise!!

                      (To be concluded next month….)