ACADEMIC RESEARCH
Article 1
Similarities between the media created in America(1963-1976) and India(2005-2015) as a result of similar counter cultural movements in both the countries
Counterculture is a subculture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, often in opposition to mainstream cultural mores. It is an important marker to study the trends of movies that arise from a demographic of similar counterculture movements. We will in this example study the similarities between the Counterculture movements in India during 2003 - 2015 and America between 1963 - 1976. As we do this it will become clear that these similarities gave rise to similar content being created in both the countries which also worked at the box office.
These three films talk about God and Religion in a way that was never done before
Rosemary's Baby 1968
PK 2014
Oh My God 2012
Both these films were shot in a hand held Raw style of voyeuristic filming.
French Connection 1971
Gangs of Wasseypur 2012
Both these films have non traditional female leads that question a women's position in society
Queen 2013
Who's afraid of Virginia Wolf 1966
Article 2
Counterculture is a subculture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, often in opposition to mainstream cultural mores. It is an important marker to study the trends of movies that arise from a demographic of similar counterculture movements. We will in this example study the similarities between the Counterculture movements in India during 2003 - 2015 and America between 1963 - 1976. As we do this it will become clear that these similarities gave rise to similar content being created in both the countries which also worked at the box office.
Sikh Un-Representation
​
Sikh characters are painfully under represented for the amount of content consumption for the population. From Punjabi Songs to Punjabi settings we have time again proved the relevance of content based around the community.
​
Even if we are represented in films, most of the times Sikhs are used for comedic relief. Same Sikh stereotypes are used in films that make fun of the identity of Sikhs to make a few jokes.
Sikh Wrong-Representation
​
The so called Sikh Representation that exists is to mock the stereotypes that already exist. Sikhs are often represented as Loud, Alcoholics, Sleezy with women and Very Simple minded.
​
If a Sikh character is strong then he must be a simpleton. If a Sikh character is weak then he must be a homosexual. If a Sikh character is Good looking then he must be an Alcoholic and if a Sikh character is not good looking then he must be an aggressive womanizer.
​
The over exaggeration of everything makes Sikh characters stand out like almost cartoonish un real caricatures. This almost feels like an attempt to dehumanize the characters as if this culture has no real emotions to offer.
Sikh Identity
​
There is almost no Sikh presence in Hollywood which has some very real consequences. What happened in 2012 in Oak Creek Sikh Temple is a direct result of no representation. Sikhs were targeted by a White Supremacist because of the way they look.
​
Sikhs all over the world continue to be subjected to racism partly because of Ignorance. If we create Sikh stories with Sikh characters then we can help fight this ignorance with a positive message.
To know more about the Feature Film we are developing based on the Oak Creek Sikh Temple Shooting of 2012
Sikh Mis-Representation and how it has effected the Sikh Image to be stereotyped for comic relief.
Article 3
Dr. Sidhu Test/Criteria
Dr. Sidhu Test/ Criteria is a measure of Sikh representation in media. It asks if a work of fiction that has a Sikh character in it follow these rules:
​
1. The Sikh character must have a full name which is not a stereotype such as Billu, Shanty, Golu etc.
2. The Sikh character must be there to progress story forward and not for comic relief at the expense of the Stereotyped 'Sikh Image'.
3. The Sikh character maintains the dignity of putting on a Dastaar(Turban) and is dressed culturally appropriately or must have a reason to inherit a characters quality due to creative reasons, other than to make people laugh.
Where does this criteria come from?
The Bechdel Test, sometimes called the Mo Movie Measure or Bechdel Rule is a simple test which names the following three criteria:
(1) it has to have at least two women in it, who
(2) who talk to each other, about
(3) something besides a man.
The test was popularized by Alison Bechdel's comic Dykes to Watch Out For, in a 1985 strip called The Rule. For a nice video introduction to the subject please check out The Bechdel Test for Women in Movies on feministfrequency.com.
If you need access to the raw data, check out the docs for the api.
The test is named after the American cartoonist Alison Bechdel.
The rules now known as the Bechdel test first appeared in 1985 in Alison Bechdel's comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For. In a strip titled "The Rule", two women, who resemble the future characters Mo and Ginger, discuss seeing a film and one woman explains that she only goes to a movie if it satisfies the following requirements:
-
The movie has to have at least two women in it,
-
who talk to each other,
-
about something other than a man.
The other woman acknowledges that the idea is pretty strict, but good. Not finding any films that meet their requirements, they go home together.
The test has also been referred to as the "Bechdel–Wallace test" (which Bechdel herself prefers), the "Bechdel rule", "Bechdel's law", or the "Mo Movie Measure". Bechdel credited the idea for the test to a friend and karate training partner, Liz Wallace, whose name appears in the marquee of the strip. She later wrote that she was pretty certain that Wallace was inspired by Virginia Woolf's essay A Room of One's Own.
Several variants of the test have been proposed—for example, that the two women must be named characters, or that there must be at least a total of 60 seconds of conversation. The test has also attracted academic interest from a computational analysis approach. In June 2018, the term "Bechdel test" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.
A character in Dykes to Watch Out For explains the rules that later came to be known as the Bechdel test (1985).
With the rise of content consciousness among the consumers, we see a rise conscious thought put behind character development.
​
In the recent years major studios have started to pay attention to Bechdel test in order to attract viewership. So a test that defines clear parameters for Sikh representation on screen can also have the same positive impact on the representation of Sikhs on the screen.
Why is this test required?
As we see a rise in media creation with the sudden influx of SVOD platforms, we need an effective and simple to follow screening test. Due to the lack of any clear criteria currently the industry is operating in the dark.
​
With the research that was taught to us at the most prestigious film institute in the world, we want to create an easy to understand and follow set of guidelines.
​
If enforced properly this test should help fight the negative stereotyping of the 'Sikh Image' on the screen and it will give rise to new opportunities for Sikh talent both in front of and behind the camera.
​
We need an ideological criteria that is simple enough to understand and implement as well as if fair to the culture it talks about. This is our first step towards repairing the decades long damage that has been done to the image for jokes and laughs.
