Topic started by Deborah Matzner on Mon Nov 1 14:34:35 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Hello,
I am writing an undergraduate thesis at Columbia University about Deepa Mehta's 'Fire', 'Earth', and 'Water' trilogy and its reception particularly in the South Asian American community, but also in South Asian communities elsewhere. I would really like to hear the reaction to the films of people who frequent this website.
In particular, I'd like to discuss the following questions:
-What do you think director Mehta is getting at by creating a trilogy about India named after the elements? Do you think in the three films she's trying to depict fundamental elements of India?
-If so, how do you feel about her representation of India in Fire and Earth? Are you comfortable with lesbianinsm and the violence of Partition being portrayed as fundamental in some way to India (if you think that they are...)?
-How do you feel about the fact that the director is an emigrant, not a resident of India? Does this affect the description of India? How about the fact that the films are in English and seem geared for a 'Western' audience. Is this troubling to you?
-What do you think about the controversy around Fire?
Thanks everyone for answering any of the above questions, or just launching into your own discussion of the films.

Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: critic (@ proxy4.fm.intel.com) on: Fri Jul 14 12:01:37 EDT 2000
  
  The way the characters in Fire was portrayed
  it seemed to me that director thinks a person becomes a gay out of sexual frustration.
  
  
• From: kannan (@ cache-blr.ernet.in) on: Sun Jul 16 17:37:06 EDT 2000
  
  Well, first Deepa Mehta seems to have an obsession with contegious issues. nest seh doesnt understand the mindset of the indian people. she just tries to create furore over her films. take her latest film 'water' that's being filmed. the topic of the script is now a non-issue. why rake it up now? anyway being an emigrant i dont think she has the right to show india in a poor light to the outside world (not once or twice but this is going to be her third time doing this)
  
  
• From: ...... (@ wwwcache4.uce.ac.uk) on: Tue Aug 29 14:26:54
  
  i honestly believe that its about time that someone as talented as deepa mehta has come along on the indian scene..its nice to have your sugar coated stories from directors such as Subhash Ghai who undoubtely 'loves india' but every so often its is nice to see the other side of the sugar coated bolllocks that we see. i dont think deepa mehta was saying sexual frustration creates lesbianism, but desire to become a lesbian does, there was no underlying reason why shabanaji's character decided to take this path ..opppression in the asian culture, she may have always had lesbian tendencies but asian societies tend not to accept that the notion of lesbianism exists. and as far as her being an emigrant goes what the hell does that have to do with film making i live in england and write for an asian newspaper about issues in india, via my visits to india and also through the people who live there from street people to gays who are afraid to come out of the closet.... i contragulate Ms Mehta for some outstanding pieces of work and wish her all the success to continue opening ignorant petty minded typically stupid views that avoid the real issue and would much rather watch a bunch of ' hard men beat up 70 guys single handed' because obviously that must be real!!!!
  
  wake up and smell the cha if you dont like the truth and the way in which ms mehta displays it then i suggest that you should not watch her movies and stick to dishum dishum movies...with in your intellectual barrier. this message is not aimed at you deborah and do apologise for not answering your discussion. this is aimed and the many people who i have spoken to about ms mehtas movies and do read this forum page.
  
  
• From: laura j. richardson (@ ) on: Fri Aug 16 13:20:33
  
  I have watched "Fire many times, and have found it to be an honest telling of a story. That is all that it is with possibly some truth attached. It is a wonderful story of love, passion, and intellect. This lady is a wonderful story teller, and should have won an Academy award for Fire. I have not seen Earth, and am waiting for Water. Indians should be proud of this woman for having the courage, insight, and ability to create .
  
  
• From: chantelle (@ ) on: Mon Nov 3 22:50:27
  
  Deepa Mehta "A woman of substance"!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  

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