The Diplomat on Netflix gives a nod to India's global influence, in perhaps a first for Western spy series
The Diplomat's global affairs drama acknowledges India's growing influence. Photo: Netflix
Hollywood is finally starting to take notice of the world outside of America and broadening its worldview, especially when it comes to global affairs-inspired productions. Most Hollywood spy productions (or superhero movies, or alien invasion movies et al) used to be only about the USA and its political and military might. No one besides the US and the villain (most likely a Middle Eastern one or Russia) was allowed any story space.
Now, looks like India is finally on the map of the Americans and is getting its due share of acknowledgment in pop culture about the influence it has over global affairs.
How The Diplomat shows India in a new light
The Diplomat series itself is a fresh pick for Hollywood which has been mostly obsessed with the CIA. This time around, the focus is on the State Department.
The plot: The Diplomat follows our protagonist, Kate Wyler (played by Keri Russell), a career diplomat who is made the new US ambassador to the UK after an international crisis and an alleged terrorist attack on a British vessel. The series also focuses on Kate's marriage to fellow diplomat Hal Wyler (played by Rufus Sewell), who is more of a political strategist, adept manipulator, and somewhat of a troublemaker.
- Unlike series made for streaming such as Citadel, The Diplomat doesn't star any Indian actors or characters of Indian descent.
- But India is mentioned with regard to its place in global politics and discourse.
- When the British vessel is attacked, it is in the Indian Ocean. The American team gets its information with the help of pictures clicked by Indian satellites.
- It is a nod to the defence cooperation between the US and India in recent times, especially in the face of Chinese aggression.
- And then, India finds mention once again in the series when Kate is talking about sanctioning Russia.
This isn’t a rabbit hole I would recommend @netflix’s #diplomat going down… pic.twitter.com/N3Ku2lm2lK
— David White (@DavidWhiteDelhi) April 24, 2023
What is the relevance of India's mention in The Diplomat?
The Diplomat's mention of India is fleeting and can even be missed by many viewers. Unlike spy thrillers such as Tenet or The Gray Man, it isn't exactly trying to sell the series to an Indian audience by casting an Indian actor in a tokenist role or having some Indian locations in its backdrop.
- The Diplomat's mention of India is purely verbal. But still, India's mention is very telling of changing attitudes toward the country in terms of global affairs.
- India is acknowledged as a country with its own global influence and military power.
- When India is brought up during a discussion on sanctioning Russia, it is very reflective of the real-world situation where New Delhi has a lot to say and sway.
- New Delhi has played the part of a neutral mediator between Russia and Ukraine since the war began.
- And unlike China, India is on good terms with Western countries and hence more reliable than Beijing.
- India's yea or nay on sanctions on Russia can strengthen or weaken such decisions in reality. However, so far, India has not agreed to join its Western allies in sanctioning Russia and buys much of its oil, gold, and defence equipment.
- When it comes to soft power, India made a splash in recent times with its cinema and an increasing number of stars going global.
- Oscar-winning song Naatu Naatu which was shot in Ukraine got a spoof made by Ukrainian forces trolling Russia; and the South Korean and German embassies in New Delhi dancing to the tunes.
America's changing bilateral relations and pop-culture reflection
India also has intelligence-sharing agreements with its Western allies including the US. In real-world affairs, India is part of a strategic group called Quad, a group involving Australia, the US, and Japan, formed to contain China's aggressive moves in the Indo-Pacific regions.
- India's role on the global stage has changed in the past few years, especially from the American perspective.
- The US for decades aided and helped Pakistan, especially during the Bangladesh and Indo-Pakistan wars. India couldn't see the US as its ally back then and it remains the reason why Russia is still an ally.
- The US's changing bilateral relations with countries also reflect the changing storylines in its series focusing on the country's foreign services.
- The Diplomat's creator Deborah Kahn had also created the 2011 American series Homeland which gave plenty of screen time for its story to Pakistan, reflective of the time's American-Pakistani relations.
So, whether it is The Diplomat or Homeland, the series reflects America's changing relations with various countries in the real world.
India's soft power and pop-culture references
- While India's acknowledgment in pop culture reflections of global affairs is an emerging trend, the country has always found mention in the overall Hollywood space for several years; albeit mostly as the exotic East; the land of elephants and mysticism and, of course, yoga.
- Be it the Bond movie Octopussy starring Roger Moore or a rom-com like Eat Pray Love, India has served as an enchanting and spiritual backdrop for Hollywood films.
- And lately, India is getting more attention in pop culture with major fashion brands such as Dior holding its first-ever runway show in India, and luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci roping in Indian actors as global ambassadors.
For Netflix, India means money and a lot of potential. 6.1 million of its 232 million subscribers are from India. It is a market that Netflix is trying its all to cash in on; especially given its current changes.