Why are Indian actors being cast in Aladdin?

[Anonymous]

I am pretty livid that a famous Middle Eastern character is being played by an Indian guy.

[Anonymous]

This is it. I am done.

Aladdin is a famous tale from the Middle East. Casting an Indian kid in the biggest Western backed retelling of this classic Muslim tale is a slap in the face of the thousands of Muslims worldwide. It was such a pivotal moment in pop culture history, to have this movie be made now with the geopolitical context of today. An Arab-American actor in the lead was not bring authenticity and understanding to this classic tale of a poor muslim boy who encounters a Jinn but also send a powerful message in cultural diplomacy by having a positive image of a Muslim in pop-culture.

I am appalled and deeply saddened. We are not even allowed to tell our own tales!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is it. I am done.

Aladdin is a famous tale from the Middle East. Casting an Indian kid in the biggest Western backed retelling of this classic Muslim tale is a slap in the face of the thousands of Muslims worldwide. It was such a pivotal moment in pop culture history, to have this movie be made now with the geopolitical context of today. An Arab-American actor in the lead was not bring authenticity and understanding to this classic tale of a poor muslim boy who encounters a Jinn but also send a powerful message in cultural diplomacy by having a positive image of a Muslim in pop-culture.

I am appalled and deeply saddened. We are not even allowed to tell our own tales!

Nothing is stopping you from directing and producing your own movie.

[Anonymous]

Since you are calling it a MUSLIM tale and talking about MUSLIMS worldwide - are you forgetting that India has a larger Muslim population than any Arab country??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is it. I am done.

Aladdin is a famous tale from the Middle East. Casting an Indian kid in the biggest Western backed retelling of this classic Muslim tale is a slap in the face of the thousands of Muslims worldwide. It was such a pivotal moment in pop culture history, to have this movie be made now with the geopolitical context of today. An Arab-American actor in the lead was not bring authenticity and understanding to this classic tale of a poor muslim boy who encounters a Jinn but also send a powerful message in cultural diplomacy by having a positive image of a Muslim in pop-culture.

I am appalled and deeply saddened. We are not even allowed to tell our own tales!

Brown people are slowly making their way onto the big screen and into popular culture. Be patient. You already have Aziz and now Hasan Minaj.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why then are Indian actors being considered?

Because white Hollywood can't tell the difference. Hollywood is notoriously color-blind that they can't tell the difference between anything other than European stock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is it. I am done.

Aladdin is a famous tale from the Middle East. Casting an Indian kid in the biggest Western backed retelling of this classic Muslim tale is a slap in the face of the thousands of Muslims worldwide. It was such a pivotal moment in pop culture history, to have this movie be made now with the geopolitical context of today. An Arab-American actor in the lead was not bring authenticity and understanding to this classic tale of a poor muslim boy who encounters a Jinn but also send a powerful message in cultural diplomacy by having a positive image of a Muslim in pop-culture.

I am appalled and deeply saddened. We are not even allowed to tell our own tales!

Brown people are slowly making their way onto the big screen and into popular culture. Be patient. You already have Aziz and now Hasan Minaj.

Oh wait. Just read the comment above. Do they not count because they're Indian Muslim? Oh well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm a mix of two of the above, and it's so easy for me to tell the difference - in physical features and also dress/attire/mannerisms/etc.

But I also know that for many of my white friends, they honestly can't tell the difference between someone who's South Asian, Arab/ME, Mediterranean-ish (like Greek/Italian), and Hispanic. It's fascinating to see them squirm trying to guess.

[Anonymous]

I don't get it. Agrabah isn't a real place. How do we cast real races/ ethnicities for a place that doesn't exist?

And I also agree with a previous poster, at least they're not casting a white guy. I guess that's progress, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since you are calling it a MUSLIM tale and talking about MUSLIMS worldwide - are you forgetting that India has a larger Muslim population than any Arab country??

Yeah but many Arabs, especially Gulf Arabs, look down on other Muslim people as being inferior Muslim people, and not the preferred chosen ones, like them. There's a tremendous amount of racism and bigotry in Middle Eastern countries towards Muslim immigrants and migrants from elsewhere, but especially the Indian subcontinent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since you are calling it a MUSLIM tale and talking about MUSLIMS worldwide - are you forgetting that India has a larger Muslim population than any Arab country??

Yeah but many Arabs, especially Gulf Arabs, look down on other Muslim people as being inferior Muslim people, and not the preferred chosen ones, like them. There's a tremendous amount of racism and bigotry in Middle Eastern countries towards Muslim immigrants and migrants from elsewhere, but especially the Indian subcontinent.

Wow. That's such bullshit. I'm glad Aziz eats bacon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since you are calling it a MUSLIM tale and talking about MUSLIMS worldwide - are you forgetting that India has a larger Muslim population than any Arab country??

Yeah but many Arabs, especially Gulf Arabs, look down on other Muslim people as being inferior Muslim people, and not the preferred chosen ones, like them. There's a tremendous amount of racism and bigotry in Middle Eastern countries towards Muslim immigrants and migrants from elsewhere, but especially the Indian subcontinent.

Wow. That's such bullshit. I'm glad Aziz eats bacon.

Aziz Ansari is an atheist, not Muslim. I mean I guess one might always be connected culturally, but he doesn't consider himself Muslim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since you are calling it a MUSLIM tale and talking about MUSLIMS worldwide - are you forgetting that India has a larger Muslim population than any Arab country??

Yeah but many Arabs, especially Gulf Arabs, look down on other Muslim people as being inferior Muslim people, and not the preferred chosen ones, like them. There's a tremendous amount of racism and bigotry in Middle Eastern countries towards Muslim immigrants and migrants from elsewhere, but especially the Indian subcontinent.

Wow. That's such bullshit. I'm glad Aziz eats bacon.

Aziz Ansari is an atheist, not Muslim. I mean I guess one might always be connected culturally, but he doesn't consider himself Muslim.

So Muslims want a practicing Muslim from the Middle East to play Aladdin? Nothing else is good enough?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since you are calling it a MUSLIM tale and talking about MUSLIMS worldwide - are you forgetting that India has a larger Muslim population than any Arab country??

Yeah but many Arabs, especially Gulf Arabs, look down on other Muslim people as being inferior Muslim people, and not the preferred chosen ones, like them. There's a tremendous amount of racism and bigotry in Middle Eastern countries towards Muslim immigrants and migrants from elsewhere, but especially the Indian subcontinent.

Wow. That's such bullshit. I'm glad Aziz eats bacon.

Aziz Ansari is an atheist, not Muslim. I mean I guess one might always be connected culturally, but he doesn't consider himself Muslim.

So Muslims want a practicing Muslim from the Middle East to play Aladdin? Nothing else is good enough?

You lost me. I'm confused.

Are we talking about religion or ethnic origin? What does religion have to do with Aladdin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why then are Indian actors being considered?

Because white Hollywood can't tell the difference. Hollywood is notoriously color-blind that they can't tell the difference between anything other than European stock.

Would you know the difference between a Scottish person and a Welsh pe Son? A Finnish person sonand a Danish person? German and Dutch?

Didn't think so.