People News
Gere and Shetty's kiss expose India's hangups
By Stone Martindale Apr 19, 2007, 15:59 GMT
Hindu fundamentalist Shiv Sena party shout slogans against Hollywood actor Richard Gere and Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty during a protest in New Delhi, India-The protesters said Gere\'s kissing of Shilpa was against Indian culture. EPA/MONEY SHARMA
Hard to believe in a country that gave the world the "Kama Sutra" and displays Gods with bared breasts and dual genitalia, that Indians would find offense in a harmless kiss between Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty during a press junket.
But a couple of ridiculous lawyers have, and actor Richard Gere and former Celebrity Big Brother star Shilpa Shetty may face real legal action for kissing in public at a recent Aids awareness campaign launch.
ITV news reports three lawyers have filed complaints in Indian courts against the two celebrities, claiming that the public display of affection was "an obscene act".
Even television channels who broadcasted the footage of Gere kissing Shetty on the cheek are in hot water too.
Technically if the stars are deemed guilty they can face fines and jail time.
The incident also sparked some Indian crowds burning effigies of Gere and chanting "Down with Shilpa Shetty".
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Are people maybe jealous? Did Gere make some people jealous?
I would also like to kiss Shetty, and dip her too maybe i don't know, that part could have been going too far. Dipping is for movies, weddings and after life savings. I am moving to India next week and am hoping to kiss some girls too. To be safe should i:
Not kiss in public
Not kiss superstars
Not kiss infront of the media
Not kiss at an AIDS confrence
Not kiss anywhere
or
Kiss but leave the dip for chips.
If anybody has the answers please let me know, like Gere i too like to kiss girls, and would like to keep kissing girls.
Gere buddy i hope you get through this, there was alot of bad blood stirred up at that AIDS confrence. You might see some more of that if you end up doing jail time; and a little more kissing too.
My best regards to all my brothers and sisters in India,
to all the friends and family i am leaving behind
here's to LOVE,LIFE and LIESURE.
This is so goofy! shows us that there are too many people in India with nothing better to do. get a life..
crackpots everywhere...Indians have more pressing issues than old Gere kissing Shetty...
India News
Parents arrested for slaughtering girl
Apr 19, 2007, 23:39 GMT
New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) The police Thursday arrested a couple here for allegedly killing their 19-year-old daughter - a call centre employee - on suspicion that she was having an affair with a boy belonging to a lower caste, police said.
The accused, Nandan Singh and his second wife Sushila, were arrested for allegedly slaughtering Lalita into three pieces at their residence in Sultan Puri in east Delhi.
According to police, a probe was launched after Singh reported Wednesday that her daughter had not returned since Tuesday night.
'During the interrogations, we found that the girl's father was repeatedly changing his statements. But on sustained interrogations he broke down and confessed to his crime,' police said.
'The couple confessed to dismembering the body into three pieces so that they can easily dispose of the body,' he added.
Public show of affection is not normal in India. Know the local customs and respect it; don't go about promoting your beliefs. Richard Gere should thank his lucky stars to have got away unhurt.
for those who want to question your behaviour in another country, think about this. Public urination is ok in india, would it be ok to do that in your country and question what is wrong about it?
taking a leak in public is okay-yet a man and woman having a quick kiss is not?
I seriously think these strange contradictory 'customs' will be changing as Indians enjoy their wealth and status in the world as a direct result of their education and hard work. I am sure many Indians living in America who are observing this would agree.
better this than have 75% of the US female population infected with venerial deseases at one or another.
1. Reverse the rolls, imagine a Hollywood actress and not so white actor, then the media's comments would not be so simple about the male actors from ''third world countries''.
2. When in America people go killing schools children, its only news, no comes out saying all Americans are crazy and have nothing else to do other then killing kids in schools.
It is all about cultural differences.
-In some parts of the world, it is okay to stare (for a long time) at a woman because you think she is beautiful. In New York City, this will get you slapped accross the face, or arrested.
-In some parts of the world,it is okay to spit or pee in public, in others you get fined for spitting in public because these are very private bodily fluid businesses.
-In some parts of the world, it is okay to bear your breasts when you curse at someone, in others you get arrested for indecent exposure.
-In some parts of the world, it is okay to stone a stray dog to death (total bullshit to me), in most parts to the world, someone will beat some sense into you.
-In some parts of the world, it is okay for couples to smooch in public, in most others, it is unacceptable.
-In some parts of the world, it is rude to decline a meal or glass of water when they are offered to you (because it implies that you have better or more exquisite taste), in the western world, most hosts are okay if you decline a mean or a drink.
Finding a middle ground is tricky. In my case, if the local culture does not offend my beliefs, I probably will try to make temporary adjustments. For instance I will not go shopping at the mall in Saudi Arabia wearing a tank top and mini skirt with thong straps showing (I wont do this anywhere!). I wont smooch my spouse in public in most parts of Africa. I wont bear my upper body at some guy in the NYC subway because he annoyed me (the F word works better!).
:)
For a society that has been deeply damaged by colonialism can one think of a more offensive image of a white guy grabbing a daughter of India and forcing himself upon her? It is so symbolic. It is right in line with the image of the white colonist forcing himself upon a country and just taking whatever he wants.
Richard Gere should pay the ultimate price for this.
What bothers me however is those who would blame Shilpa Shetty for this.
Too often women victims of rape in India are blamed for what happened like they wanted the rape to happen or it was their fault the rape happened even when the truth might be that the rapists brutalized them and they couldn't stop the rape from happening.
While of course Richard Gere didn't actually rape Shilpa Shetty, I still see this whole 'Blame the Woman Victim' dynamic in place. From what I saw from the video Shilpa Shetty did nothing to cause Richard Gere to act the way he did, and was in fact as shocked as everyone else was that he would act in such a disgraceful manner.
We need to defend this daughter of India, not blame her for this white man's assault upon her.
page: 1
Wait a minute...Apr 19th, 2007 - 17:14:32
As a person of Indian origin, it's tiring to see articles (such as yours) that put all Indians into the same category as the radical, right-wing, that are creating this uproar.
Admittedly, the kiss was not exactly as simple as many people have portrayed it so far (witness the rather extreme and repetitive hugging efforts by Gere even as Shilpa Shetty is trying to push away from him!), but it certainly doesn't deserve the slogan-shouting, effigy-burning crowds or the uncalled-for lawsuits.
Still, a word of advice to you media members: don't generalize; Indians are a diverse lot that represent a variety of faiths and ethnicities. To say that Indians hate 'the kiss' would be the equivalent of saying that Americans are just like Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell.
Judge not, lest ye be judged.
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