Comments on: ‘Bhowani Junction’

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:32:32 +0000

Its a long while since I’ve seen Bhowani Junction, but I remember that it was very good. I am surprised that a comment like “white man’s version of history” (by Punjabi Boy above) is allowed on this site – surely this borders on racist? The movie makes a very reasonable attempt to represent the difficult situation of certain “chee chees”. Ava Gardner (who was herself mixed-race, being part native American) presents Victoria’s dilemma very well – her attempts to find love with three men of very different background and personality is representative of her struggle for identity. In the end, although she falls in love with the English colonel, yet she makes clear that she will not go with him to England. If he really wants to be with her, then it must be in India. The movie had to be made in Pakistan, because the Indian government at the time would not tolerate the reference to Indians trying to kill Ghandi and Nehru. Unfortunately, the reality is that EVERY nation contains many dissenters and many points of view – better to face up to the truth. This was a brave movie to make in 1956 – it offended many in America, England and India. Yet now we can look back on it and admire it for its attempt to grapple with a very complex question.

By: Garranlahan

Garranlahan — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 01:30:45 +0000

John Masters was 1/32 Indian. That is such an infinitesmally small fraction of Indian blood that he could hardly be called "Anglo-Indian" and it simply could not have affected his appearance.

Most Anglo-Indians had a far greater portion of Indian blood, to the extent that it was noticeable in their faces (otherwise they could easily have assimilated ("passed") into the British community). Masters looked completely European and could not ever have been taken as an Anglo-Indian.

A good example of this diffusion at a much greater level than 1/32 is the English actress Kate Beckinsale, who is 1/8 Burmese---but it is absolutely impossible to detect it in her face. However, when the proportion gets up to 1/4, it is at that point invariably very noticeable (for example: Keanu Reeves [Chinese]).

By: alamelu

alamelu — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 11:04:04 +0000

AngloIndian in those days was different from Eurasian – for instance the Olympic medal winner for India – was a full blooded Briton. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=RNWE,RNWE:2005-20,RNWE:en&oi=defmore&defl=en&q=define:Anglo-Indian ” This term was originally used to describe British people who lived and worked in India. However, over time, this term came to be used to describe those people who were of mixed blood (Eurasian). “

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 08:06:13 +0000

I am 16 years old and descended of an Indian, a bengali to be exact. My parents are from the u.k but I was born and grew up in the u.s. Until about a year ago I went through 15 years of thinking I was a white briton. Until my family decided to reseatch our family. My father was adopted and it turns out his birth mother was a half Indian women from Calcutta! We were able to research further discovered her mother a 16-year-old english girl living in Calcutta with her family during the occupation {this was 1926.} Her own servent was my grandmother’s father! He was bengali and only about 17 when Geetali, my grandmother was born. I couldn’t believe this! Not only that I was 1/8 indian, but that a 16 year-old british girl at the time would take such a risk and get that close to an Indian. Considering how the times were. The hosue is still there in Calcutta and We were able to recover her diary explaining everything about her and this bengali boy. Thia changed the way I saw myself and now a lot of things make sense. Despite what society may have said I think my great-grandmother had great courage and I am proud of my new found Indian blood. I saw bhowani junction and then the jewel in the crown. I must say they both touched me.

By: anglochick - nothingness

anglochick - nothingness — Fri, 29 Apr 2005 02:06:33 +0000

hey dot… i know that masters is anglo indian, but he didnt make the movie… hollywood did… i kinda agree with punjabi boy here… it does reek of the “white man’s burden” kinda crap… i did like the book though.. a lot… id wid the characters i suppose, to an extent..

By: Dot

Dot — Sun, 24 Apr 2005 00:07:08 +0000

Not that I’m much of a frequent poster, but that’s a different ‘dot’ in the previous post!

By: dot

dot — Sat, 23 Apr 2005 22:21:22 +0000

Didn’t you know that John Masters, the author, was actually Anglo Indian himself? So it’s not exactly the ‘white man’s version’!

By: Punjabi Boy

Punjabi Boy — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 10:52:16 +0000

The book actually has a rather nuanced ending. If I remember correctly, in the novel the British officer she falls in love with is rejected, because he cannot satisfy her and understand her, and in the end she finds live with another Anglo-Indian man, she can only find understanding and peace with one as marginalised as herself, can only be understood by one who is as mixed as her.

In the movie though, the British stud saves her from the horrible Indians who (damn it!) were actually agitating for independence and freedom from the British occupation of India (how dare they!)

In short the movie version is riddled with every pallid 'white mans burden' imperialistic inflection going. Only whitey can save the native who is cruelly marginalised by the neanderthal Indians! Its politics and reasoning operate on a Gunga Din level. As such, it is worth watching to get a sense of the stupidity of the white mans version of history.

By: Ennis

Ennis — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 04:19:07 +0000

I’ve seen the movie – it’s horrible. It’s turgid, and ghatly, and overly emotional – it’s like a desi movie made by white people, only using white folks in brown face.

Now I know where Bollywood gets its sensibility…

By: Amardeep

Amardeep — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 03:38:28 +0000

I read this book back in grad school -- it's actually kind of a page-turner! John Masters was a pretty good writer.

But I've never seen the film, and I can't say that I'm all that optimistic about how this one will be.