SAMMA: MAKE AN EFFORT



R N Rao

Lee Strasberg, a prominent acting teacher in America said "Make an Effort". I hope that is what it took for the Indians that organized the "South Asians in Media, Marketing & Entertainment" (SAMMA) Summit 2008. They brought in a big name like Peter Liguori, CEO of Fox.

I was expecting a conservative agenda from him because as we all know Fox is owned by Rupert Murdoch. Contrary to my expectations, he delivered a striking presentation and interestingly he left a law career for entertainment - just like me. At that moment, I thought 'heh there, I got some hope too'. The basic concept of his speech, "Hi, it is the ‘content' stupid not the format" took me home. Those of us and especially the second generation kids who got lost in the American format have to learn a lesson and get back to our Indian roots, that of substance and thought...not the gimmicks of format. Hopefully this will be a timely reminder.

Apparently, he is not the only one as there were a plethora of speakers who followed with the hangama of Bollywood and Hollywood. Sure...everyone is trying to break into the Indian Market but can they be blamed. Let us never forget Indian is a vast market of 1.2 billion people. Some of these media giants are already there. I am not sure if they can control Bollywood but I am sure will participate in joint ventures with them. Trying to break into Hollywood, I noticed there is a kind of ‘Anglophobia’ as described by Prof. Brown of the Harvard. The Americans look through the eyes of the British as they did not have direct interaction with India, unlike Japan or Vietnam. The writings of the infamous Rudayard Kippling depicting Indians as 'coolis' and 'jungle boys' have had a significant effect. You can see that in the old American movies from the 60’s.

Presently we see Indians on American TV and film as 'cabbies' and 'doctors'. They say they don’t know the Indian culture. I was told even our Bollywood celebrity Shabna Azmi when she tried to break in here in her early career was only offered small roles like a maid, etc….you get the idea. But then what do I know?

As Americans do not know what Indian culture is all about and presently are looking forward to understand, the Deepak Chopras, the religious conservatives and similar groups have a field day with them trading images of gods and outdated ceremonies and Bollywood dances. It is not India and the peoples culture that counts anymore. To take a step back, Americans knowledge about India was first through the “yogi’s” when the Beatles went to see the Maharishi, and then through the influx of doctors in the 60’s as they needed them due to the war at that time. This was when America lifted the ban on Indian immigration after the Second World War. In the last decade it’s the computer kids that come and go.

Now the Americans rush into Bollywood make me think - heh, how about us out here? At least America has opened the doors for me unlike Bollywood, which is more or less a family affair. And despite the back log of racism, Americans elected an African American (though only half black) as President.

This is all fine and dandy, but what does all this mean to me and us Americans of Indian origin here. Are the winds of ‘change’ coming to embrace Indian actors and all others in the entertainment industry?

Well, if they want a piece of the Indian pie how about them also giving us piece of their pie? It’s only fair, isn't it?

Well, SAMMA was kind enough to close the function with an Indian key note speaker - Deepak Masand of VISA, our own flesh and blood. He has a way of involving the audience like a good performer does… good for him. But guess what? You couldn’t even talk to him after the meeting because he was hustled away by some of the organizers as they wanted a photo op with him.

Well, then why were the press invited to cover this event? And if you are press member you are not invited to their gala dinner. Would SAMMA have gone broke if a few press members had been invited to the gala dinner, especially after the donations and ticket sales, I am sure had pulled in vast amounts of money. I feel we should all grow up as some people behave like they are still in feudal India.

On a closing note, I am glad that Indians are making efforts like Strasberg had talked about. I was also wondering what happened to SAJA (South Asian Journalist Association) that buddied up with SAMMA?

And in the following week, we had the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council (MIAAC) events. For those of you who do not know these events were a joint collaboration by the Mahindra group and the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC). In the present climate when you depict the name ‘India’ it draws attention and attracts a lot of people, especially Americans! All these efforts of various groups are to be commended but the question remains is how inclusive these groups are, is yet to be seen. As the old adage in India goes, if there are three Indians, there will soon be four associations. I hope all these efforts that are being made are not in vain and the spirit of 'let thousand flowers bloom' takes over which should be in the forefront.

R. N. Rao is an actor/playwright and President of STUDIO ATHENA & RAO PRODUCTIONS INC.