For the longest time, I didn't understand the point of representation in media. I didn't get why it was such a big deal for POC to get their spotlight, spewing the same falsities like, "if they were more talented, they would get the parts." I realized soon that a big reason I was turned off by the idea of representation was because I never felt represented by media almost ever. Seeing Black, East Asian, Hispanic, among many, many other cultures slowly get their limelight in western content is beautiful, but I started to feel a little sad by the lack of good Indian representation in media, ever. The closest we've gotten until this year was Hasan Minhaj's presence in comedy and that's, pretty much it for anything in terms of positive representation. That's not the same this year.
Firstly, we had Across the Spider-verse, and Pavitr Prabhakar. It was beautiful to see someone who clearly inspired by the culture of my country and embodies it in a way that shows reverence to that culture play such a major role in a massively popular film. His dialogue was clearly written by someone that was Indian (proven by the fact that Karan Soni, his VA, oversaw the writing of his character) and it shows in the jokes he makes and the way he talks. It made me feel really happy seeing him on the big screen.
Then we have this, which is about the best thing I could ever ask for. It's a celebration of the food I grew up eating (albeit in this case with meat but it's not too different) and my Tamil heritage. It's a love letter to the experience that so many parents and their children face; moving to the west in search for a better life for their kids, only for the children to feel a culture shock and not know what they want to be. I, personally, struggled a lot (and still do) with my identity and my culture, whether it be me having to learn to be more open about the Indian food I brought to school every day, or how I still struggle to get people to pronounce my name right and default to the "white" way to say it. Seeing that story (one that is absolutely not unique to me) told in a game made me tear up multiple times. Seeing the struggle that both Venba and Paavalan go through just to raise their kid in the best way possible reminded me of my own parents and the struggles I imagine they have to go through in raising me. It's a deeply personal story that I connected with on every level and makes me so happy that a story like this is being brought to wider audiences.
Do I have gripes with the game? Yes. It's simply too short for the $15 price tag, and I think the game could have benefited with more meat on its bones. Does that change the fact that this game in the way it exists right now means a lot to me and will be one I cherish for the foreseeable future and hopefully the rest of my life? No, not at all. I'm thankful for this game existing, and hope that it can serve as proof that the stories of my people deserve to be told.
Time to go eat some god damn dosa.
Firstly, we had Across the Spider-verse, and Pavitr Prabhakar. It was beautiful to see someone who clearly inspired by the culture of my country and embodies it in a way that shows reverence to that culture play such a major role in a massively popular film. His dialogue was clearly written by someone that was Indian (proven by the fact that Karan Soni, his VA, oversaw the writing of his character) and it shows in the jokes he makes and the way he talks. It made me feel really happy seeing him on the big screen.
Then we have this, which is about the best thing I could ever ask for. It's a celebration of the food I grew up eating (albeit in this case with meat but it's not too different) and my Tamil heritage. It's a love letter to the experience that so many parents and their children face; moving to the west in search for a better life for their kids, only for the children to feel a culture shock and not know what they want to be. I, personally, struggled a lot (and still do) with my identity and my culture, whether it be me having to learn to be more open about the Indian food I brought to school every day, or how I still struggle to get people to pronounce my name right and default to the "white" way to say it. Seeing that story (one that is absolutely not unique to me) told in a game made me tear up multiple times. Seeing the struggle that both Venba and Paavalan go through just to raise their kid in the best way possible reminded me of my own parents and the struggles I imagine they have to go through in raising me. It's a deeply personal story that I connected with on every level and makes me so happy that a story like this is being brought to wider audiences.
Do I have gripes with the game? Yes. It's simply too short for the $15 price tag, and I think the game could have benefited with more meat on its bones. Does that change the fact that this game in the way it exists right now means a lot to me and will be one I cherish for the foreseeable future and hopefully the rest of my life? No, not at all. I'm thankful for this game existing, and hope that it can serve as proof that the stories of my people deserve to be told.
Time to go eat some god damn dosa.