MovieChat Forums > Lion (2017) Discussion > This isn't PC but isn't Dev Patel a bit ...

This isn't PC but isn't Dev Patel a bit too cool for the part?

posted 8 years ago by Scott-101
5 replies | jump to latest

Dev Patel just seems so much more confident and has more swag than most Indian guys I know. This is absolutely not PC at all. And that haircut and facial hair and how everyone in his college class seems attracted to him (plus the very very attractive girlfriend). I think considering the character felt insecure, it's not that bizarre to think that maybe he could have appeared to be an outsider a bit more

Plus, look at the guy he's based on, he didn't have that freeness in his hairstyle and wasn't as good looking.

http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/lion/

[–] Milkdoesabodygood 8 years ago

Maybe, but saroo had to always adapt, always.

Spoiler alert for them spoil sports out there! Y'all like spoiled milk, stop crying over it!

[–] jenniferforgy 8 years ago

Dev Patel is gorgeous, as is the little boy version of Saroo. I think that endears them to the audience. WOuld we have felt as sympathetic if they hadn't been beautiful? I hope so, but....

[–] lunaarwen 8 years ago

my thoughts are that maybe, Saroo was generally more confident then most Indian guys, because he was raised differently, he was adopted by Caucasian parents and I feel like this would make him act differently, probably because of the social differences.

[–] Poetry_K 8 years ago

I know you weren't trying to be insulting, but as an Indian who was born and raised in America, I don't see much difference among the races who grew up here and am offended that one would base "coolness" simply on skin color.

Are you thinking of the Indian guys actually from India who have accents? Because that's a whole different cultural experience so they have different mannerisms, outward demeanor, and social norms and such, which may seem "uncool" to us Americans.

Do you live in Australia and know a lot of Indian
guys who grew up Australian? How are they so different from white Australians? I know tons of
American-raised Indian guys who seem exactly like white guys or whatever other race.

So I don't really understand your point, and I wish this stereotype of Indians being uncool wouldn't keep being perpetuated by society. It's totally outdated.

[–] tyboulder 8 years ago

I wouldn't spend a second worrying about it. I think the OP meant to say Dev seemed to have more "swagger" on average than anyone his age, race not the point, citing the way "everyone" in the class was attracted to him. I don't think the OP intended to bring race into it, or if she did, she's probably still in high school. I find, generally, that people--who lived in India and came to the US-- to be warmer and kinder than "average." I wouldn't take anything personally (especially on IMDb). :)