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Episode details

Asian Network,27 Jul 2021,50 mins

This can't go on!

Asian Network Bollywood

Available for over a year

From colourism, to fat shaming and how minority communities are represented - this episode explores prejudices portrayed in Bollywood and questions whether things are changing. Are characters like Bhumi Pednekar in Dum Laga Ke Haisha progressive or should they have used a 'bigger' actress rather than making her gain weight for the role? Is Vidya Balan the only actress flying the flag for women with 'real' bodies? Are Punjabis always portrayed as loud and drunk and Muslims depicted as terrorists? And is fair still considered more beautiful in songs and storylines? From Priyanka Chopra-Jonas' rock-bottom moment in the film Fashion to Hrithik Roshan blacking up in Super 30 - is colourism an issue in Bollywood? Haroon Rashid chats to student Jasmine Rai who based her dissertation on minority representation in films, Tik-Tokker Shabaz Ali and former film/TV critic, Imaan Zia

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