Movie Club: Swades Discussion

So, how did you guys like Swades?

Having seen it years ago and again now, there was something new that stood out to me. It kind of felt like what I’d call a “white savior” movie. You know those movies where a white person has to go in and “save” the natives or the people of color. In some ways Swades is a white savior movie without the white.

It’s got this outside character coming in and making things better for the villagers. What do we call that? Mohan, the main character, is arrogant and firmly city-oriented. He comes into this village looking down on it. He helps make things better for them while they show him their beautiful and simple lives.

As I watch, though, I realize that this movie really plays with the “savior” movie cliche and adds new dimensions.

Mohan has all kinds of stereotypes about what village life is like. He brings an RV because he’s afraid of what the conditions will be like. He’s prissy and stuck up. But Gita can hold her own. She calls him out on his….what is it? Classism, I guess?

There is another character who says to him, “What makes you think you can come in here and change things? You don’t know our lives. You don’t know anything” (paraphrasing). I think that guy has a very good point.

On the other hand, Mohan does bring unity and working together to make improvements in everyone’s lives. He echews caste and encourages people to come together.

I think maybe the message here is that we all have something to offer. Like I said in my post about the documentary on Indian beauty pageants, there’s good things we can take from western culture and good things we can take from Indian culture. We just have to figure out what the best parts of each are.

Mohan brings some good things with him from the city and from America. But the villagers give him community and togetherness that he was lacking. Gita’s emphasis on the value of tradition and culture temper’s Mohan’s drive for improvement. Both things can be good and can work together.

Doesn’t this movie kind of make you want to give everything up and move to a little village in India? Ridiculous, but true.

Note: did you see how Kaviriama greets Mohan? That is the traditional way to honor a guest and is the same gesture one would do to statues of the Gods in one’s home. His response to touch her feet was one of great respect.

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For next week another that I haven’t seen yet: 3 Idiots.

Strange title, but I’ve heard great things about it! This one is another that isn’t on Netflix, but can be rented on Amazon: