Again within the day, it charmed audiences with its picturesque visuals, feel-good romance, and that iconic patriotic monologue. However once you strip away the nostalgia and Himesh Reshammiya’s stellar soundtrack, what’s left is a movie that reeks of regressive concepts, informal misogyny, and troubling stereotypes masquerading as romance.
It is the cinematic equal of discovering an outdated, once-trendy jacket in your closet – solely to grasp it is bought some severely problematic patches you hadn’t seen earlier than.
Namastey London follows Jasmeet “Jazz” Singh (Katrina Kaif), a British-Indian lady who embodies what Bollywood as soon as thought-about a “dangerous woman.” She drinks, wears brief clothes, and, heaven forbid, makes her personal selections.
Her conventional father (Rishi Kapoor) disapproves of her way of life and in basic overbearing dad style, manipulates her into visiting Punjab. As soon as there, he tips her into marrying Arjun (Akshay Kumar), a easy Punjabi farmer who embodies the stereotypical “true Indian.”
The twist? Jazz declares the wedding invalid as soon as they return to London, persevering with to this point her rich British boyfriend, Charlie (Clive Standen). In the meantime, Arjun patiently hovers within the background, decided to win her over.
On the floor, this seems like a innocent rom-com about cultural clashes. However look nearer, and it is clear the movie’s ethical compass is skewed closely in favour of patriarchy.
Jazz, regardless of being an grownup lady, is handled like a rebellious youngster all through. Her father not solely disregards her autonomy but additionally arranges a compelled marriage – an unlawful and deeply problematic act that the movie romanticises.
The narrative paints Jazz as conceited and misguided for daring to have a character exterior of what is deemed ‘acceptable’ by Indian cultural norms. In the meantime, Arjun – the supposed hero – spends a lot of the movie ignoring her boundaries, mistaking persistence for love.
One significantly disturbing scene sees Arjun drunkenly nook Jazz in the course of the evening, pinning her to a wall and masking her mouth. In any real-life context, this is able to be thought-about harassment. But the movie glosses over this, framing Arjun as a well-intentioned romantic who’s simply too ‘passionate’ about his emotions.
Jazz’s resistance is handled not as a legitimate response to being stalked and manipulated, however as a part she should develop out of. The message is loud and clear: males know greatest, and girls – irrespective of how unbiased – simply have to be ‘guided’ by a persistent sufficient suitor.
The movie’s deep-rooted misogyny is not restricted to Jazz. Her mom is written off as a passive determine, always belittled by her husband. She’s mocked for not figuring out English, reinforcing the concept that her position is to be silent and submissive.
The daddy’s habits is emotionally abusive, but the movie justifies it as ‘good parenting.’ The narrative expects viewers to sympathise with a person who slut-shames his daughter, bullies his spouse and forces his grownup youngster into an undesirable marriage, all within the title of custom.
Even the movie’s portrayal of Western tradition feels offensively simplistic. British characters are lowered to caricatures – conceited, classist snobs designed to make Indian values appear morally superior.
The enduring “Mr. Pringle” monologue, the place Arjun passionately defends India’s achievements, feels much less like a celebration of Indian heritage and extra like a nationalist jab disguised as feel-good patriotism. The underlying message appears to be that the West corrupts, whereas India preserves purity – a story that erases the complexities of diaspora identities and as an alternative paints cultural variations in black and white.
Maybe most irritating is how Namastey London romanticises management. Jazz’s eventual choice to desert her life in London and transfer to Arjun’s village is not handled as a compromise however as her ‘realising’ her father and Arjun had been proper all alongside.
Her desires, her independence and her personal understanding of affection are dismissed in favour of an idealised model of womanhood – one that matches neatly inside conventional, patriarchal norms.
The movie’s problematic undertones are wrapped in shiny cinematography, catchy music and charming performances, which makes its outdated messaging much more insidious.
Akshay Kumar’s charismatic efficiency virtually tips you into rooting for Arjun’s poisonous persistence, whereas Katrina Kaif’s portrayal of Jazz is so pure that her eventual ‘taming’ appears like a betrayal of the character’s earlier power.
18 years later, Namastey London stands as a reminder of how Bollywood as soon as seen girls, relationships and id. What was as soon as marketed as a heartwarming love story now appears like an unsettling relic of regressive beliefs.
For a technology that values consent, autonomy and mutual respect in relationships, Namastey London is much less of a romantic basic and extra of a cautionary story – a reminder that not all nostalgia deserves a comeback.
