Merry Christmas… (Updated)
(added 24th Dec 2024)
Anthony is far too obvious a choice as an iconic Hindi film character. He is quite simply the best known Christian in the country’s history! I decided to therefore represent another Christian here, one of my other favorites, and obviously one of the most loved ones in Bombay cinematic history — Jack Braganza from Bobby! This sort of minority representation so common in the 70s is a perfect example of the stereotypical minority but one very affectionately drawn nonetheless. One loved those older stereotypes whereas the more realistic representations that have come about since the 90s in this sense have often seemed no more than ghettoized and far from the humanistic universalism of 70s cinema. Those characters were as integrally a part of the landscape as the majorities in those films. Their status within the nation-state was never questionable. Manmohan Desai remains of course the master practitioner of this ‘ethos’. In any case here’s to the ‘Christian’ of Bombay film tradition…!
(Na Mangun Sona Chandi – Bobby)
(updated on 24th 2024)
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