In the post below, Manish introduces us to young actor Neil Patil. I went through the images he has posted on IMDb, and was dismayed to find the photo below of Patil with what looks like a sweater tied around his head.
Let’s deconstruct this image, shall we? Photos on IMDb are carefully selected for the consumption of casting agents. It is unlikely that this is simply a snapshot of Patil clowning around with his buddies that got accidentally posted; it is one of only five photos deliberately chosen for display.
Why would he want to show this to casting agents? I’m trying to be as sympathetic to his aims as possible, but the only thing I can think of is that he wants to show people both that he’s willing to wear any type of silly headgear and that he’s capable of looking debonair doing so.
I have a lot of sympathy for young desi actors. The American film industry is a hard one to break into, and he’s just starting out. Nor am I offended by the picture – he’s not claiming to be a Sikh or anything else. He’s just a guy with a sweater around his head.
I’m simply confused. As somebody who has been called “raghead” more times than I can count, I don’t understand why he would want to put this picture up. Black actors don’t put up minstrel photos in their IMDb profiles, why would Patil choose to portray himself in this way?
p.s. Also – what’s up with the whip?
re: sweaterhead – maybe it was cold that morning… he is balding afterall
re: whip: maybe he’s an extra from the new and final Indiana Jones flick… (Indie’s always messing about in some Blackistan somewhere)
… anyone?
That faraway look tells me he was modelling for a condom ad.
Looks like he may be trying to position himself for turban-laden, mercant-ivory-type period pictures. (Note also the rattan chair on which he is leaning. (It’s a chair, not a whip, I think.))
And/or, could the headwrap be interpreted as a rasta-style head covering? Which could be intended to suggest he can play other dark-skinned races as well.
Or all of the above.
It doesn’t offend me much, though; certainly no more offensive than the military photos on his site. God knows how hard it is for desi actors. And he does look debonair.
Yes it isn’t easy for desi actors, that doesn’t imply becoming a feckless opportunist.
The headshot is ridiculous. If your reasons are correct (he wanted to market himself for turban-laden, mercant-ivory-type period pictures), I don’t think he did a good job. Even a non-desi would be confused…. hopefully.
Ode to Dhavaak:
Maybe he did want a turban, couldn’t wrap it himself – got the hair-stylist to do it – she/he couldn’t do it, but went on about how FABULOUS it looks – he thinks it looks awful, but doesn’t want to hurt the hairdresser’s feelings because he/she so nice – how many times has this happened to you at the salon? – he sheepishly wears it – after all, there are plenty of other debonair photos, and he doesn’t intend on using this one – just goes along with it – gets photos back – his agent loves the typecast – posts the photo!
You have inadvertently Pateled up Patil in the second line.
The whip is ostensibly for guiding the horse as he rides his horse-cart. In rural India, its not uncommon for men to cover their heads. Thats the look he is trying to project.
I like the theory in comment #7.
Otherwise, perhaps he wants to play Zadie Smith in an upcoming bio-pic.
Thanks – fixed!
Thanks for the smile Ang
Looked through the imdb site – are you really angry with Neil, Ennis? – this seemed more an expression of rage – an act of self-mutilation born of frustration – “Is this all you see? Is it?… Then I’m going to be the best f*king camel driver, terrorist out there?”.
With expensive looking sweaters?
My guess is he trying to land a benetton ad.
With expensive looking sweaters?
Thats the look he is trying to project. The look of a Tangay-Waala
look at the roles he has played – he knows that playing an exchange student, disgruntled darkie, terrorist is the only way he is getting paid in hollywood – it will help those jackass casting agents who pour through 100 headshots of desi pretty boys/wannabe actors to find a savage to play a savage – he cuts to the chase
don’t think that’s a whip. it could be a sword in a sheath. maybe he’s going for a “warlord in afghanistan” look? the taliban maybe? would be consistent with the other shots.
You say Pa tel. I say Pa til. Gujurat? Maharashtra?
Maybe we should call the whole thing off.
You want accurate representations On the Big Screen I want Casual Friday for Mujadeens.
You put a sweater on our chest, I like it wrapped on me head We just beter call the whole thing off. Call the whole thing offfffff.
It could be a patterned cloth like a kaffiyeh instead of a sweater.
Looks like he’s trying to evoke a generic, multi-ethnic thing. Can’t blame him for trying to work and since it’s not specific to any religion or race I don’t see what’s offensive about it (unless you consider it offensive to good fashion sense).
I’m not sure what to think about the fabric-on-the-head controversy, but I did notice that his imdb biography contained some interesting tidbits:
Maybe I should just be thankful it’s not a diaper on his head.
I think he might’ve just chosen this picture because he felt he looked good in it and it turns out to be a coincidence that it has other political implications. He probably just thought he looked good and it would be stupid to try to edit out the whip. Hey, it’s just a thought.
I don’t know, Ennis, I think it’s a crossover-shot, something intended to land him roles like the desi guy in Matrix: Revolutions, etc.. It’s the one image the confounds any true stereotype because it presents the viewer with “hints” of a number of different personas, but nothing concrete, and it makes him more interesting than the terrorist and Poindexter shots he’s got up there… It got your attention and our comments, it might do the same for a casting-agent.
Man – these are some of the lamest excuses I have ever heard!
If he’s trying to look like a tongay walla, then he’s doing a lousy job. The turban is wrong, as is the fancy shirt.
If that photo’s a crossover shot, what’s it crossing over between – a guy with a sweater on his head and a guy with a sweater on his head? That’s a huge market I’m sure. What personas does it imply?
Tina – I’m confused. Would a white actor take a picture like this? Would a black actor?
Why on earth would he think he looked good with a sweater on his head? Even if that one shot turned out well, presumably he could repeated it without the sweater, he’s an actor after all.
LOL. It’s sooo clearly a sweatshirt. Maybe it’s from banana republic or j. crew but it’s still a sweater.
lol Reminds me of a Bangalore Railway station coolie
Okay, one time I might have worn a sweater on my head.
I was cold, it looked strangely stylish. I’m not proud, but things like this can happen.
In Mr. Patil’s case, the sweater/wrap is evocative of a lot of things, as this discussion attests. It’s suggestive of “costume,” suggestive of a lot of ethnic types — and “ethnic types,” for better or worse, are a lot of the roles he’s likely to get.
So as a practical move, maybe it makes sense for him. As a fashion move, I have to say, I also can’t object.
I’m gonna call it a head sarong. (But “Taliban casual friday,” as someone previously said, is also apt.)
The problem is that it implies people who wear turbans are simply tying a random rag, or bit of clothing, around their heads. Look ma! I took a sweater and tied it around my head and now it’s a turban!
I have no idea if this is what Patil is saying. If it is, then it’s potentially offensive.
Imagine if he had just rubbed something random on his forehead to suggest a tilak, or randomly looped a shower curtain around his legs to suggest a dhoti. Wouldn’t that be troublesome? It says, “don’t worry about their culture. There’s nothing significant about their actions, they’re just doing something more or less random.”
Plus, the whole thing makes around as much sense as tying some rubber tubing around your neck and claiming that you look like a doctor.
blah.. blah..
Mutineer the troll..
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, when reading this thread. I’ve decided to laugh my ass off. I also feel for poor Ennis who feels obligated to respond to every speculation, each time reiterating what he thought he already said, only to be inundated with the explanation “it’s a random this or that”. lol. Crossover shot – lol! Why’s he wearing a blue dress shirt??
Arj, I hope you’re kidding. Okay, okay, one time I drove through Arizona and it was soooo hot and I felt the need to put something cool and protective on my head, but it was not a benetton sweater, and it certainly wasn’t cuz I’m brown. A sweater just wouldn’t be practical or cooling. You’d need a much lighter-knit breathable cloth, like a doo-rag.
Excuse me? If you’ve got an argument to make, say it. It’s rude to walk into somebody’s house, dismiss what they have to say and call them a troll.
Sorry, above I was responding to “Get Over It” and not Ang.
so for the first time in a VERY long time i’m drunk and leaving a comment.
i think this guy looks silly. in all honesty, who take a picture with a ‘sweater’ on their heads in the first place?
he just looks silly…it’s like he’s trying to imply that he’s middle eastern but not quite…
i dunno… to be honest it’s 2:30 a.m. and this is the first time i’ve been in a bar in at least 4 months so i obviously have no idea what i’m talking about aside from the fact that i play a mean game of flip-a-cup….
anyways, down with sweaters and up with realistic interpretation of the ppl… and also… down with PBR which got me this wasted in the first place….
also, does anyone think it’s weird that he has this weird ‘smug’ look on his face? what is he trying to prove???
“No one other than a self-conscious white would ever bother to notice that this clown is wearing a monocle on his eye. To the untrained and casual Indian eye, he just looks like that “cracker” that bagged the nurse in the movie Sala Mera Lund Choos.
I know that THAT actor was portraying a WASP, and that makes me a white trivia genius by Indian standards. Having any higher expectations of us is akin to assuming that any random honkey on the streets of West Virginia could discern between a Gujarati accent and a Marathi accent.
Now stop with this foolishness and post more pictures of beautiful white girls whose only clothing is wrapped around their heads.”
Hey, I don’t think anyone said they were losing sleep over this guy. But if people want to discuss it, it ain’t fair to come in and say it’s frivolous, even if it is. I’ve said it before: if someone feels they wanna talk about something, I don’t see the need to come in and tell them to quit wasting their time, or that it’s not important. That’s just plain insensitive. I also don’t get why that would be productive if you don’t care about the issue at hand. Maybe the people discussing whatever topic have a life experience or knowledge that gives them some reason for concern, or at least for a mild-humoured discussion.
okay, i’m now sober… i’m not even sure that what i said makes any sense.
no more drinking!
It may not be blanket, but it’s no picnic to wear a turban in the vast majority of America. Pictures like this don’t help that. And if you want a joke, watch Martin Lawrence’s concert film from right here in the district, where he jokes about how his cab driver better have a red dot under his turban (to signifiy that he isn’t one of those Arab terrorists, just a simple towelheaded Indian), or else he’ll shoot. Hilarious.
neil, would you please remove that thing?
martin lawrence and funny don’t fit too well in the same sentence.
ok you all have it all wrong. i am an extremely good, friend of neil, and he was just clowning around, like himself and other of my self rising celeb friends, for instance homie doorodian knows that agents want also funny people, and it is a whip, it was for a movie he was doing, and he is not african american. you can contact me at varsity_cheerleader89@yshoo.com or 1-580-657-3485, for more info on this pic.