Is Peter Sellers playing an Indian, racist?

I can't believe you didn't mention his accent too!? I'd quit probing and looking for something that was never there to begin with. He is simply playing a character to the best of his ability... and a quality performance is was! That was Peter Sellers! The "Blackface" is simply part of his wardrobe... nothing more. Politically correctness has killed a lot of creativity in the womb after it's been seeded... Shame really! Don't you think???

It's a tricky one. Is Peter Sellers playing a French policeman racist? Or any actor playing someone from another country, region, ethnicity racist?

I imagine it depends on whether respect for the character exists and whether there is a hint of prejudicial or ignorant jokes concerning that characters race.

I always felt that the comedy in the Party was more from fish out of water gags and Seller's physical humor, than from making fun of the race or accent of the character. However, I do feel a little uncomfortable watching it these days. I hope I don't start to feel the same discomfort from watching Inspector Clouseau.

In this context I think it's worth pointing out that Indira Gandhi - prime minister of India for two periods and widely considered one of India's greatest statespersons of all time - was fond of quoting the following line from The Party: "In India we don't think who we are, we know who we are!".

My personal belief is that the perception of "racism" in Peter Sellers' performance as Hrundi V. Bakshi has more to do with white guilt than with actual racism, despite the brownface and Indian accent. I would suspect that it makes us (ie white Westerners) feel more uncomfortable than it does the supposed victims.

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“I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an ass of yourself.”

Oh dear. Not Indian, but part Sri Lankan...part French, part Brazillian, part German, part - oh never mind.

I certainly would not be offended by his portrayal. He's playing a lovely person, who laughs at and is comfortable with himself.

While many of the other characters show their flaws (Mrs Dunphy is clearly intolerant of anyone who isn't like her, Clutterbuck is dismissive and rude, Divot is a manipulative womaniser, Kelso is an ego maniac), Bakshi is portrayed as a nice, sweet, engaging man.

The 'blackface' as you call it, isn't done to make fun of anyone, it is simply make-up to show that Sellers is playing an Indian man.


So put some spice in my sauce, honey in my tea, an ace up my sleeve and a slinkyplanb

I don't think so. He and the French actress are the only normal, pleasant people in the whole movie. Peter Sellers portrays the character very sympathetically. The rest of the characters are stereotypical Hollywood trash. There's another thread here that has a length discussion on the subject. Personally I love this movie, he's trying so hard to fit into this awful environment.

Martha
Austin, Texas

Well the movie does have it's odd, ignorant moments like "Elephant is the symbol of my country!!?" and Peter Sellers portraying Hrundi as a weak apologizing simpleton (which is where the character's humor comes from after all), but let's face it, Indians are good doctor and engineers but when it comes to physical sports they are only well known in cricket (that too only batting side)....the fitness revolution is only recent for India. Overall the movie was nowhere remotely offensive.

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wat are you lookin' at...

It was 1968, political correctness hadn't been invented yet....

My vote history: http://us.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=9354248

Similarly, is a straight guy playing a gay guy (Michael Douglas AND Matt Damon come to mind in 'Behind The Candelabra')or a straight woman playing a lesbian (Charlize Theron, for instance, in 'Aileen') homophobic? No. It depends upon the portrayal. If they're playing to stereotypes (thick Irishmen, stingy Scotsmen), then it's another question.

The answer is never the answer. What's really interesting is the mystery.