Eternals’ ‘stereotypical Bollywood’ clip disappoints desi fans: ‘Indian TV serials have better production value’

Marvel shared a new clip from their upcoming film Eternals on Wednesday just in time for Diwali. The new clip is titled ‘Bollywood’, and shows Kumail Nanjiani as a Bollywood superstar, dancing at an elaborate movie set with a female actor.

He is wearing a blue embellished outfit while the other actor is in a pink dress. They dance together to a song set to seemingly-desi beats but has lyrics in English. Variations of such songs are often heard in movies about India, made in Hollywood.

Clearly, desi fans were not impressed by how the movie’s team did not bother to get the ‘Bollywood’ part right. “If Marvel can spend this much money, they could have hired an Indian singer and composed a whole song for this sequence even,” wrote one YouTube viewer. “Honestly didn’t expect Marvel to stereotype Bollywood,” wrote another.

Some even said that the song had a cheap look to it. “Indian TV serials have better production value this ngl (not gonna lie),” wrote one. “Interesting how Hollywood’s version of Bollywood hasn’t moved on from 90s Bollywood stereotypes. It’s as if they just don’t know how to find new reference material,” commented another.

Also read: Eternals: International reviews rave about ‘endearing’, ‘scene-stealing’ Harish Patel

In the scene, Kumail’s Kingo is playing Ikarus in a Hindi movie called Dastan-e-Ikarus. However, the real Ikarus, played by Richard Madden, comes visiting and asks him to join the rest of the Eternals again in their fight against the Deviants.

The clip also features Indian actor Harish Patel, who plays Kingo’s assistant, Karun. He, however, has known Kingo’s superhero secret for 50 years. Kingo even jokes how Karun tried to wedge a ‘stake’ in his heart once, thinking that he was an unageing vampire.

Eternals is directed by Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao and also stars Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan, Kit Harington and others.