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14-20 Aug, 2012
small world
RESCUE
Pamela Anderson turns Elephant Lifeguard
Haima Deshpande

MUMBAI ~ Sundar, an eight-year-old elephant on a leash in the backyard of Jyotiba Temple in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district, has caught the attention of actress Pamela Anderson. The elephant’s plight came to light in an investigation by the animal rights organisation People For Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta). Ill treatment by the mahout and temple authorities have caused Sundar disabilities.

When Sundar was a baby, he was presented to the temple trust by Vinay Khore, an MLA from Kolhapur. Anderson’s letter is addressed to Khore. ‘I am distressed at the plight of the elephant Sundar. Please put an end to the torture and release the elephant in the jungles,’ says the short letter. Anderson is a Peta brand ambassador.

Sources say the elephant is regularly beaten by the mahout and left without water or food for long periods in a bid to “tame it”. The beatings are so merciless that Sundar has lost an eye and can’t stand. It has not been given medical attention and has gotten aggressive. The pachyderm’s condition was brought to Peta’s notice by an animal activist.

Brushing aside Peta’s findings, Khore tells Open that it had “misunderstood” the issue. “The ground reality is not known to them and there is a misunderstanding,” says Khore. “The elephant was born and raised by the temple and belongs to it. Since it is domesticated, the elephant cannot be released in the jungle.”

It is well known that Khore gifted the elephant to the temple. But following the outcry, he has refused to acknowledge this. “The elephant does not belong to me. It will continue to be with the temple,” he says.

After Peta took up the issue, the Kolhapur district collector has set up a committee to monitor Sundar’s health. It constitutes members of the zila parishad and veterinarians from a government animal hospital. Denied sustenance for long, Sundar at last is getting dietary supplements. All that needs to change is the mahout. Sundar reacts violently to his original handler. Unfortunately, since no other mahout is available, the same one continues in his job.

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Take Two
At Last, Real American Indians
American television is casting Indian actors in roles that go beyond stereotypes
Aastha Atray Banan

A recent girl crush on Cecilia ‘Cece’ Meyers, played by Hannah Simone, in the comedy New Girl helped one stumble over a heart-warming discovery. Simone is half Indian, and plays a full-blooded one in the show as well. But instead of acting like a confused American desi who talks about ‘traditions’ and oils her hair every other day, Hannah as Cece is the gorgeous, unattainable supermodel. You felt like screaming ‘Hallelujah!’ Finally, there is an Indian female character on an American sitcom who doesn’t talk in an Indian accent or wants to be a virgin till her marriage. Cece is sexy, wants to experiment in bed, but also takes her boyfriend to meet her dadi in an old-age home. It’s easy to digest that small, yet sentimental Indian touch. The best part? The umpteen references made in the show to the ‘Indian hottie’.

It’s been a long wait to see an Indian hottie on American popular television. Usually, Indians are typecast as nerdy or conservative, never hot. But, American TV seems to be catching up. In the fourth season of The Big Bang Theory, we meet Priya Koothrappali, played by Aarti Mann, the sister of Raj, who dates one of the main characters, Leonard. She is a lawyer, stunningly beautiful and seen as a catch for Leonard. She quotes Shakespeare, has sex in the shower and wears smart yet sexy pant suits.

Where were these women until now? And when Sheldon, the scientist who wouldn’t date a girl even if his life depended on it, describes one of Raj’s Indian dates as a princess, well, you were glad. Instead of the awkward, ugly Indian, it’s now the turn of the exotic yet modern and intelligent Indian woman to take centrestage.

And then there is the sassy Noureen DeWulf, who stars opposite Charlie Sheen in his new show Anger Management. Thank God she decided to ditch roles like the accented secretary she played in Matthew McConaughey’s Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. She now plays Lacey, a spoilt rich girl sentenced to join a therapy group after shooting her boyfriend when he cheats on her. Now even if she doesn’t play an Indian on the show, having a desi girl who believes in using the gun when she gets angry is a step forward. Does it get more American than that?

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DESIRES
Chetan Bhagat’s ‘Reinvention’

Years spent as a pariah in literary circles seem to have caught up with Chetan Bhagat, India’s largest-selling fiction writer. He’s excited that he’s moved on to some “meaningful” writing as well. “The charge against me is I’m too flippant,” he says. The author, who sees himself as a spokesperson for India’s youth, has just launched his latest book, What Young India Wants, a compilation of his essays on issues troubling the country, mainly corruption and discrimination based on caste and religion. He’s hoping that it will gain him some credibility as a writer. And what are his thought-provoking views? Well, here’s one. He urges his readers to stop voting on the basis of caste, religion or region. ‘We have to consider only one criterion—is he or she a good person?’ Deeper still are his insights on youth aspirations. After years of interacting with youngsters in educational institutions, and in his new avatar as a motivational speaker, he’s drawn the conclusion that the only thing Young India is interested in is “naukri aur chhokri” (employment and romance). If you think girls don’t figure in his own scheme of thoughts, you’re wrong. In an essay written as a paean to Indian women, he tells his readers to imagine life without these lovely ladies. ‘There would be body odour, socks on the floor and nothing in the fridge to eat,’ he warns. The book, according to his publisher Rupa & Co, sold half a million copies on the first day of publication. Bhagat says that he wrote these articles to ‘rock the boat’, but says that he decided to steer clear of anything—ahem—too “radical”.

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14-20 Aug, 2012