Maybe it’s because it’s still early in the morning and my senses are still a little dulled but I’m having a tough time wondering just why Bismati Blues is causing such a stir. Or maybe it’s because I don’t know enough about the culture being presented and thus would love to learn why there’s an issue surrounding this movie already, but it would appear that Brie Larson traveling to India to introduce a new way to bolster the rice crop shouldn’t be much of an issue. If there’s something beneath that story then I’d love to hear it, since tales of people from other nations coming to America tend to create a stir as well but for seemingly different reasons. In all honesty this looks like it might be a touching story of a woman that is sent to a land she doesn’t understand and, after a few blunders, begins to care about when it comes to their well-being and the crops that they depend upon.
If anyone wants to cite cultural obliviousness then it must apply to the entirety of Hollywood and not just one movie. The honest to goodness fact is that Hollywood tends to not care about culture many times and picks and choose from each corner of the globe what they want to use and what they will eventually discard. So in truth the idea that anyone is being oblivious is often to be placed at the feet of the directors, film makers, producers, executives, and so on. If it does cause a stir then perhaps it is time to discover the benefits of realism in movies so that each film that comes forth can be as down to earth as possible.
No? Then perhaps people should take a story as a story and allow it run as is. There is realism in movies and then there are those films that incorporate various aspects of a culture and choose to ignore others. It’s not right to be honest but it is the prerogative of the film maker and the effort of those involved that create a touching film that can be used as inspiration for real life. The act of becoming offended by anything that has to do with a fictional story is a bit ludicrous for the mere fact that unless insult is willingly and purposefully given there is no need to become suspicious or even ill-tempered about a fictional story that may or may not be entirely accurate.
If the story causes harm to a culture then there is a problem. If the story so badly misrepresents a culture there is a problem. If the story happens to mock or ridicule a culture then there is a problem. But as of now I’ve seen no reason to be up in arms against a WORK OF FICTION. It might not paint the culture in the full, broad strokes it deserves, but guaranteed this is not Hollywood’s first indiscretion and it probably won’t be the last. There’s no excuse for cutting out a full and enriching culture from a film, but it’s done quite often.
It’s a movie people, don’t watch it if you don’t want to, but throwing shade at a film for not being entirely accurate when it’s fictional is like blaming your parents for not telling you the whole story of Santa Claus and where the legend came from.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RXO3NRI1lw
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