The outrage over the latest Quantico episode, which explores ‘Indian terror’, forgets the fact that in the show, Chopra is American protecting US interests
Warning: spoilers ahead.
The latest episode of the show Quantico, starring Priyanka Chopra in its leading role, has hit a raw nerve with many Indians because it has an “Indian nationalist” (read: Hindu) as the antagonist.
In this episode, Chopra’s character, FBI agent Alex Parrish, uncovers a plot to launch a nuclear attack on American soil. She and her team discover that it was to take place during an India-Pakistan summit, over the Kashmir issue, in New York. They initially suspect a Pakistani student of masterminding it but Parrish finds a rudraaksh on one of the terrorists, leading her to conclude that the terror attack was actually planned by Indian nationalists to frame Pakistan.
Predictably, the episode did not go down well. Many Indians on Twitter were outraged that a show with an Indian actress in it could paint a Hindu in bad light. The episode is also apparently “pro-Pakistan” because for once, the bad guy isn’t a Muslim from Pakistan.
Unfortunately, Priyanka Chopra is facing the brunt of the blow. How could she, an Indian Hindu actress, be in an episode that explores the possibility of Hindu terrorism? Doesn’t she know that only Muslims can be terrorists?
But Priyanka Chopra never signed on to be an Indian ambassador abroad. She’s just a South Asian actress trying to make it in Western film and television. She hasn’t shied away from her Indian nationality but neither has she overtly re-affirmed her Indianness since she moved to New York. She’s a working professional who is known in Bollywood for taking on different kinds of roles, and I think she’s doing her best not to be pigeonholed into the token brown woman role in Hollywood.
And it might just be working. She hangs out with American actors and actresses, she may or may not be dating a Jonas brother, and she very deliberately wore Western clothes to her friend Meghan Markle’s wedding.
She’s the first South Asian to be in a leading role in an American TV show. But even in this show, she’s not Indian. She’s American, and her allegiance is very clearly to the United States of America. She literally works to protect American national interests, both as an FBI and a CIA agent. In fact, the role of Alex Parrish was never intended to be “exotic”; she was written to be a white woman. So why does she have to be beholden to Indian nationalism?
But this isn’t the first time that the show has insinuated that an Indian can be a terrorist. Chopra’s character on the show is constantly framed and under suspicion because of her skin colour, and because of her Indian heritage. Alex Parrish herself isn’t trusted because she comes from a country that is well-versed in terrorism. Furthermore, Quantico has played dangerously with stereotypes in past episodes: the first season has hijab-clad women who are double agents. Why didn’t that upset Indian nationalists?
The default mode for most Indians now is that if you’re critical of India, the only logical conclusion is that you’re a fan of Pakistan. This reductive thought process kills any kind of healthy debate, which should be happening in a democracy.
Several complaints on Twitter are aimed at how this particular Quantico episode’s storyline is “unbelievable”. But this is a show that begins with Chopra’s character being accused of treason. Her character is fired from the FBI, hired by the CIA, part of a joint FBI-CIA task force, and then re-hired by the FBI. There are hostage crises, bomb blasts, endless conspiracies and of course, scandalous romance and intrigue.
Like any other show, Quantico has convoluted plotlines and endless drama. Portraying an Indian nationalist who hates Pakistan so much he wants to frame it for a terrorist attack is lower down than some of the other plot points, on the “believe-it-or-not” scale.
The argument that Chopra should not have acted in an episode that offends Hindutva pride also falls flat, because at the end of the day she is the lead actress on a show that has truly helped to cement her place in American pop culture. Quantico has been declining in popularity, and last month its production company, ABC Studios, cancelled it. It makes sense that the show’s writers wanted it to be as controversial as possible so that it could have higher viewership, and it makes sense that Chopra gets as much screen-time while she still can.
ash, stop the patriotic nonsence. tvtvtv showshow. dont be drama queen. go sing a bollywood song and dance around some trees. change bollywood to different name . stop copying western world. there ARE LOTS OF TERRORISTS IN INDIA . SEE THE PADMAAVAT SITUATION.
IDIOTS SLAPPED BHANSALI, SUCH A DECENT PERSON, AND CAUSES SO MUCH DAMAGE. THREATENED TO CUT OFF DEEPIKA NOSE.
lady, this is just an opportunity for all the hindus to act out their frigging crazy ideologies. what a lot of utter nonsence . noone is more patriotic than priyanka. she is an actress and works for money. yes, she works for money. dont call her names. what the uck is this shit called the rukshak or what shit.
Looks like you have been paid to contain damage! Seriously? Indian terrorist has been portrayed on international TV trying to nuke and you want us to be ok? What next? We should be ok with people spoiling our country’s name because thats liberal ? Do you have any sense of decency or attachment to your country’s image? Or you have washed it away with dollars just like priyanka did?
At least, the writer agrees that it was a conscious attempt at creating controversy to try to increase Quantico’s revenue. Then, isn’t this write-up a piece of shit?
The question has the truth in itself. Whom do we see blowing themselves up, mowing down ppl, knife attacks etc etc shouting ‘Ola -O- Uber’ [right ?] kill ppl all over the world ??? Hindus. Case solved!!!
Hindu terrorists are more dangerous than the Muslim terrorists. RSS and its splinter group never claim any responsibility for its terrorists activities but Muslim groups claim. Hindu groups make clever efforts to put the onus on other groups. Malegoan, Ajmer, mahatma Gandhis assasination, Dabholkar murder, Kaluburgi, Gouri Langers and many other incidences they try to divert the attention on muslim groups through well planted emails, intelligence groups or fake claims. When a terrorist groups motive is not clear it is more dangerous than a group fighting for a cause. Hindu terrorists never come out openly.
Wow. I’m not a muslim, not a hindu. But in my opinion this article is so stupid. I thought that journalists have to be smart.
Do you even know what terrorism is? It can be anyone, from any background. It doesnt have to be muslim(s).
Do some research before you write your article.
When I read the title of this article, I presumed it would be a joke. After reading the rest of the article, I was amazed by how ignorant and foolish the opinions of the article was. The reason conflicts are still around between Indian and Pakistan are because of people that still have such idiotic views and assume and prejudice certain groups based on the extreme of group. Unbelievable article!
Look like author herself hate Indian n india very much what kind of stupidity is this.looklike the swastika wasn’t less defame now rudrakash???hypocrite lefty try to present them liberal but don’t it true attack all over the world happen 90% terrorist r directly or indirectly belong to Pakistan
Okay..if muslims r only terrorists then let me ask u who r the maoists, LTTE,IIRA, ULFA The Lord salvation army and All Tripura Salvation Army??? R they muslims.? And for your kind information a real muslim can be a terrorist bcz glorious Quran condemns the killing of any innocent…for your concerns have a look 5:32 of glorious Quran…And stop your polarised agenda…when u media people show the characteristics of honesty..??? Please study the history of world terrorism…If u people consider yourself a resoresentative of researchers and intellectuality…..Thanks…Terrorists have no religion that’s is why they cowardly r in action to kill innocent people…..Study the 5:32 of glorious Quran before putting such a harsh and injust comment on Islamic idealogy…if someone is against the teachings of glorious Quran how can he be a ambassador of Islam or a muslim..??? Tell me…
This seems an intellectually amazing article written by a true Democrat
No doubt Everybody knows India is spreading a huge terror in Kashmir..Mind u Muslims are peace loving persons across the Globe..It’s India who has created Terrorism in Kashmir.And Occupied the Holy land #AKashmiri
lol
Dear writer terrorism has no religion.. They can be Hindu , Muslim anyone..why u people always target Muslims..this is not good …stupid (bakwas) article..u narrow mind people
PC people have only language that ia money for which they can abuse there oqn country she should be ashamed of what she did being an Ex. Army man daughter
abishek, nasty comments, she did nothing wrong . its a frigging tv show. what a lot of silliness.
She doesn’t care about anything except money and fame which she is getting from that show , ban her in india and her show too , she doesn’t deserve to be called indian , you can’t hide your mistakes by saying that ur an actor and you have to do what the makers ask to do . Sorry pc you broken many hearts and from now on no one will care what the F ur doing, u have lost. A fan for life
Why Hindus asses are burning? The only religion the haven’t done any terrorism or what i have never heard of is Sikh.. so chill down Hindus it is clear that Hindus attached Muslim holy places. What about the bomb that Hindus blasted in masjid in Delhi.. what about when Gujrati minister killed thousands of people? What about the rss or the fucking hindu terror group that killed Muslims in train or road just because they were carrying meat?? Just today when iopened news paper they were Hindus who attacked Muslim for meat and he had to run the police station? 1st know the definition of terrorism then bark
News For You….. Terrorism is a Concept Sprung by Later Abrahamic Faiths Namely Crusaders of Cross and Prophet of Peace
Hindu terrorists..Haha..Tell that to the average American who witnessed WTC crumble before their eyes…No wonder Quantico is withdrawn by abc.
Miss vandana Menon( member of Bharat Tere tukde honge Liberal gang) i hearfld Terrorism has no religion but suddenly the religion popped up and it’s Hindus… Miss gawar buddhi can you name one Hindu Terrorist beheading in the name of Hindusim or a bomb blast? No, you can’t since Hindu don’t do that.
And it’s not just about “Terrorist can be Muslim thing” but in that episode of Quantico the premises was that Hindu Terrorist planning bomb blast to frame innocent peace lover(no Terrorist heaven Pakistan)
Don’t you think this is really absurd? Showing Pakistan an victim of Hindu Terrorism propaganda? Pakistan is self capable itself and it has already achieved glorious height of being a Terrorist heaven and funder.. Hindus Don’t have to frame Pakistan they are already achieve the heights of Terrorism from creation of Taliban and osama, hafeez sayeed, Al jawahri etc… Why liberals are so apologetic toward Islamists? Fake secular jamat.. bunch of retards
It’s about the national pride not at all about hinduosm. They depicted indian nationals planed a nuke attack and frame pakistan.But you successfully make it communal with your phesudo secular writing. Please go on and also say all this is happening because she is a woman also go on and include her birth place cast and ideologies … There are journalists and there are pimps oochh sorry I am not suppose to criticise you because you are a woman please mention in the next blog you have criticism not because of your writing is shit but because you are an woman also mention it’s hindus and sikhs and all religious group target you because you are so the light of freedom you hippocrat pice of shit. #theprint #vandana_menon
Why only a muslim can be terrorist ?
And people who are forcing hindu religion and hindu dal i india harrasing people why are they nt consider as terrorist ?
No religion teaches to kill humanity or hurt people so pls stop callimg only muslim as terrorist.