Wanna be
I recently saw an interview on MTV with Jay Sean. That guy from the Rishi Rich Project? ‘Maina Tere Nal Nachna’ was the first of their songs I heard (Not bad actually, interesting mix of bhangra and rap). Now, Jay Sean has emerged as a solo artist. Can’t say I think much of him though...
During the interview, he had this really strong British accent. But not the educated one that one can listen to forever. (Like Hugh Grant!) He has a very I-really-want-to-sound-cool accent. He used the phrase “Ya know wha’m sayin’” like 80 times! It gets annoying after a while, but one learns to accept it, since apparently the guy didn’t grow up Indian. Later though, he was asked how his family felt when they saw him on screen. He was all “They are shit proud of me man, I mean my grandma tells all her friends...” and out of the blue, he starts quoting his grandmother in a flawless Punjabi accent! Something about that smooth transition really put me off.
Now, I don’t personally know Jay Sean. But even through the interview, he came off a very fake person. Where does he (or anyone like him) place himself? Neither is he completely Indian, nor is he completely British. He is trying to make it in a foreign world, with a put on personality.
There are more such people nowadays. Look at Raghav (whose song starts with an old Hindi film song) and Rouge! They are so confused. I’m not saying that Indian singers shouldn’t try to be successful abroad, but I wish they would take one image and stick to it!
During the interview, he had this really strong British accent. But not the educated one that one can listen to forever. (Like Hugh Grant!) He has a very I-really-want-to-sound-cool accent. He used the phrase “Ya know wha’m sayin’” like 80 times! It gets annoying after a while, but one learns to accept it, since apparently the guy didn’t grow up Indian. Later though, he was asked how his family felt when they saw him on screen. He was all “They are shit proud of me man, I mean my grandma tells all her friends...” and out of the blue, he starts quoting his grandmother in a flawless Punjabi accent! Something about that smooth transition really put me off.
Now, I don’t personally know Jay Sean. But even through the interview, he came off a very fake person. Where does he (or anyone like him) place himself? Neither is he completely Indian, nor is he completely British. He is trying to make it in a foreign world, with a put on personality.
There are more such people nowadays. Look at Raghav (whose song starts with an old Hindi film song) and Rouge! They are so confused. I’m not saying that Indian singers shouldn’t try to be successful abroad, but I wish they would take one image and stick to it!
posted by 
@ 12:13 am
2 Comments:
At 3:37 am, January 29, 2005,
D. said…
Remember when everyone was dead convinced I had the most ridiculous little-London-girl accent in the Universe? ^-~
(quietly drools over Hugh Grant's accent)
I agree with you up to a point - it is rather off-putting when someone suddenly switches accents in the middle of a conversation. However, people might have been brought up like that - I mean, you don't even want to hear my Tamil! It sounds utterly British-accented. (Which is why I never speak it, as if I try Karthika keels over laughing.)
I think it depends on how you've heard the language spoken the most - someone who's heard Hindi spoken by someone from Delhi might pick up their style and intonation, while still remaining rather Americanised in their English.
However, that isn't your point, no? What you're talking about is the singers keeping their persona the same at all times - and there, I agree. Because it's a widely public image, it should feel genuine.
At 4:30 am, February 01, 2005,
Meghna said…
Sneha, Vaibhavi is hardly an equivalent of Jay Sean. Despite her American accent (which, btw, I didn't find in the least bit annoying), Vaibhavi has a very strong sense of self. She knows exactly who she is, and there is no insecurities about it. I just felt that with this guy, he was trying really hard to be accepted by being someone he wasn't. Maybe I'm wrong, but hey...that's the way he came off!
Nandini and Deepthi, the style of speaking isn't what I was talking about...neither was the ability to speak different lanuguages in their respective accents. This guy was speaking ENGLISH in a Brit accent and then switching very easily to a Punjabi accent in ENGLISH! Practically like he was ridiculing the way Indians speak English - though I'll admit that was probably not his intention - it was quite sad. That is what I was objecting to!
Post a Comment
<< Home