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ShareThe Indian for once has evaded being a mere caricature in a comic.
Archie has got a funky, new Indian friend who doesn't look or act like the conventional bumbling Indian.
After Hajji in 'Johnny Quest', Apu in 'The Simpsons' and many other onscreen interpretations, the 'brownie' is finally cool. Raj Patel, who features in '#21 Tales from Riverdale', rides a skateboard and walks around with a camcorder to capture his friend's antics.
But while this dude has got bloggers raving about him on the 'Archie' website, the comic's popular fans here are a little sceptical about his image. Says singer Anaida, "I hope that they don't do the Peter Sellers' 'birdy num num' (referring to 'The Party') nonsense with it. The Archie series is a very American thing, so I'm curious to see how they flesh out this new Indian character."
Another addict - Malaika Arora Khan, who would have hordes of comics in her bathroom, is surprised with the desi addition to the Riverdale gang. "I'm really happy about the new Indian addition. I would like him to be cool and groovy, but I think they may give him a geeky image," she says.
Maria Goretti, who has also grown up reading the popular comic says, "Indians have evolved a lot since the days we drove cabs in the US, but they're still portraying us as janitorsand the like. It's good they have added an Indian character in Archie's, but I hope they don't make him stupid or something."
Not everyone is as cynical though. "I think the new Indian addition is going to be cool. It shows how Indians have a sizable influence in the West - first the twins in Harry Potter, now Raj Patel in Archie's," says an excited actor and model Dipannita Sharma.
k_thomas@dnaindia.net
