Netflix, Big Bang Theory under fire for comment on Madhuri Dixit. What did Raj and Sheldon say though?
A comment on Madhuri Dixit is just one of the many problematic aspects of The Big Bang Theory (photo-DailyO)
Political analyst and self-professed Madhuri Dixit fan Mithun Vijay Kumar has sent a legal notice to the Netflix India office in Mumbai with regards to a particular episode of the long-running sitcom The Big Bang Theory. With the comedy show streaming on Netflix in India, Kumar asked his lawyer to urge the American streaming giant to remove the episode from its platform.
Recently, I came across an episode of the show Big Bang Theory on Netflix where Kunal Nayyar's character uses an offensive and derogatory term to refer to the legendary Bollywood actress @MadhuriDixit. As a fan of Madhuri Dixit since childhood, I was deeply disturbed by the… pic.twitter.com/pvRCKd5Ne4
— Mithun Vijay Kumar (@MVJonline) March 22, 2023
ALSO READ: How I came to hate The Big Bang Theory
But where does Madhuri Dixit come into the picture?
The first episode of The Big Bang Theory’s sophomore season finds Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Raj Koothrapalli (Kunal Nayyar) arguing over which Bollywood heroine is more superior: Aishwarya Rai or Madhuri Dixit.
Sheldon dismisses Rai as a “poor man’s Madhuri Dixit” to which Raj aggressively responds,
What is the response after Kumar’ complaint?
Ever since Kumar shared the legal notice on his Twitter handle, many Indian Twitter users seem to agree that the comment was sexist, misogynistic, and hurtful to Indian sentiments. The Big Bang Theory is no stranger to poorly-written female characters with protagonist Penny (Kayley Cuoco) often being treated as too dim-witted in front of the male scientists.
Bet you're blissfully unaware of another show called 'Family Guy'. You can make a career outta filing lawsuits on that show!
— shubham (@think_shubham) March 28, 2023
Even actress and MP Jaya Bachchan's comments have gone viral as she adds that Nayyar should be ashamed of the scene and that he has a "badi gandi zubaan" (foul tongue).
So the episode came out in 2008. Dude got triggered in the year 2023. Lol
— Batman sharma (@sabsemastbro) March 27, 2023
But, then again, many Indians are also pointing out that the episode aired in 2008 in a different socio-political atmosphere. The general consensus is that getting angered about in 2023 will hardly make a difference. Others are also quick to point out that, while hurtful, the comment is still made by an Indian character who is expressing his opinion.
The curious case of Raj Koothrapalli
The comment made against Madhuri Dixit seems uncalled-for but so are the stereotypical traits around Raj’s character as a whole. The meek Indian who is initially introduced to be socially awkward towards women soon turns out to be quite a blabbermouth with no sense of personal boundaries with the women he dates.
From Raj (The Big Bang Theory) to Kelly (The Office) to desi standup comedians, they all carried the "loser, stinky curry, funny accent" stereotype forward. They even use the slurs in offensive ways against each other instead of reclaiming them.
— Brojack (@dontwannashar3) December 11, 2022
One of the biggest complaints by Indian viewers in general has been Raj’s seemingly cartoonish and forced Indian accent. But the actor has gone on record many times to say that this is his actual accent that he picked up while studying in St Columbas’ School in Delhi. After all, Nayyar’s own memoir is titled “Yes, My Accent is Real”.
While Nayyar firmly asserts that he’s trying out any stereotypical accents as compared to the now-retired Simpsons character Apu (voiced by Hank Azaria), The Big Bang Theory still manages to garner controversy every now and then like similarly mainstream yet problematic sitcoms like FRIENDS and The Office. Despite the jokes that haven’t aged well, all three shows continue to trend and garner huge viewership on Netflix and Prime Video in India.