India’s Version Of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ Has Some Pretty Hard-Hitting Communal Messages In Its Promos

Communal hatred and rifts arising out of religious differences are pretty common in India. The Hindu-Muslim clash has been going on for a long time, and it is quite evident that they will go on for quite some time. However, In its promotions for the latest seasons, India’s equivalent of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire has put forth some interesting incidents that will force the audience to think differently. While they were at it, the creative media management team of Kaun Bange Crorepati has even managed to address the issue of racial segregation.

The first of two advertisements scheduled to hit the air soon show a typical neighborhood where Hindus and Muslims share physical housing structures, but consider each other enemies. While a Hindu’s young son is about to embark on his journey to participate on the show, the Muslim’s son jeers him. While the traditional “aarti” is performed, not-so-friendly the Muslim neighbors stand watching the scene, mocking the act.

However, when the Hindu son is stumped on a particularly heavy religious question on the show, he chooses the “appropriate” household. The boy calls the Muslim family, and the video will not only restore your faith in humanity, but also in nationalism, reported Campaign India.

While the above video stresses the fact that India is one big family and all religions should live in harmony, the next video drives home hard the point of perceptual racial segregation, reported Live Mint.

North Eastern Indians are often treated as sub-par foreigners and meted out humiliating treatment, especially in the western regions of the country. Once such contestant, Poornima, is asked the question, “The city of Kohima belongs to which country?” and the options offered are, “China, Nepal, India, or Bhutan.”

Despite the answer being pretty apparent owing to the girl’s appearance and the fact that Kohima is in India, Poornima opts for an “Audience Poll.” Not surprisingly, 100 percent of the audience says the answer is India. Even the host tells her, “This is something everyone knows.” But what the girl answers back will help you understand the true meaning of racial discrimination in the country.

For those who don’t speak the language, she answers the hosts:

“While everyone knows for a fact that the city is in India, how many truly believe that the people residing there are indeed Indians, just like ‘they’ are?”

Though the promotions of the TV series aim to put forth the point that there can be a lot more to win than just cash rewards, they attempt to highlight the underlying problems that the biggest democracy in the world faces.

[Image Credit | SET India]