Replication of Art: "Jai Ho"

Included in the Academy Award winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” was a dance scene based on contemporary style East Indian music and dance. This particular style, often seen in Bollywood films, has a unique history based on traditional performance customs as well as the incorporation of Westernized popular culture influences. This mixing of cultures has resulted in a distinctive and well-known performance style. The particular scene from this film involves a group dance routine to the Oscar winning song entitled “Jai Ho”, written in Hindi, by A.R Rahman. After its release, the song became widely admired worldwide and was very quickly copied and reproduced by others, based on their own interpretations.

Soon after its appearance in the film, the song “Jai Ho” was translated into English and remade by the group “The Pussycat Dolls”, who also took elements of the original dance routine and incorporated them into their video. This song quickly made it onto the pop charts in many countries. While the original song corresponds to the film for which it was specifically written, the adopted version done by the Pussycat Dolls works to appeal to a general, Western audience. Rather than incorporating the Indian cultural aspects upon which the film is centered around, the newer version of this video disregards these crucial features of the original and creates a highly sexualized mimic that is void of any real cultural elements. In his article regarding the mechanical reproduction of art, Benjamin argues that original pieces of art are linked to a unique history and contain an “aura” that cannot be replicated. He states that “the technique of reproduction detaches the reproduced object from the domain of tradition” (Benjamin, 1936). This is highly evident in the reproductions of “Jai Ho” which tend to diminish the sense of cultural heritage that is so prominent in the original piece. Not only are the associated images from the film taken away, but the costumes, as well as the music are changed in order to suit a different audience. What has made this constant cultural borrowing possible is the spread of mass media that has allowed cultures worldwide to be readily accessible to each other. According to Benjamin, this is a result of “the desire of contemporary masses to bring things “closer” spatially and humanly” (Benjamin, 1936) that encourages the technological advancements aimed at creating a global culture. Media outlets including live television, film, websites, instant messaging and so on, permit the sharing of ideas or practices, which is arguably geared towards “overcoming the uniqueness of every reality by accepting its reproduction” (Benjamin, 1936). Benjamin also states that through these processes of exchange, and the creation of something new, the irreplaceable aura of the art is reduced. The art is detached from tradition and ritual and its specific underlying value is ultimately diminished. Mass media has allowed a major change in the nature of art overall. Not only has it become more political, as stated by Benjamin, but it has also become geared towards a potential display for the world to view. It has essentially become difficult for art pieces to remain unique and original, tied to its foundations. This is evident from the number of reproductions of the “Jai Ho” videos, which end up taking on their own stylistic forms.

What has the role of the media been on the cholera epidemic in Haiti?

Since the earthquake in Haiti occurred one year ago, the media has played a huge role in raising global awareness of the situation in the country, and consequently, fueling the donations to relief organizations. Billions of dollars have been promised to help aid the suffering in the country, from world organizations such as the Red Cross and Unicef, a portion of this money being donated by individual donations. Recently, a cholera outbreak has caused an epidemic in the already struggling country. It is stated that the earthquake created conditions in which the cholera virus could “flourish”, “with people forced to live in tent cities, taking their water from the same rivers where others wash and defecate” (Boseley). As a disease, cholera has not been known to occur in Haiti previously, and has therefore created confusion as to how it was able to spread here. Much of the questions revolve around the issue of what is being done with the billions of dollars worth of aid money.

The media has played a role in presenting the ongoing and almost overwhelming tragedy in the country, leaving many people with a sense of hopelessness in terms of what can and should be done. As an individual being bombarded with catastrophic images, one may feel a sense of duty to help. The easiest and most immediate way of doing so is through the donation of money. However, with all the money that has been raised, the media has not been clear in showing what is being done with these contributions. Whether these actions are being hidden from the public in order to create a constant feeling of urgency in order to keep the money coming in, or whether the money is simply not being put to proper use, is unknown. In terms of the cholera epidemic, many people have been left wondering why basic steps where not taken to prevent this sort of outbreak, while billions of dollars had been available. However, others believe that “if urgency were less of a factor, donations would surely decrease, and there would be less funds for the long term efforts” (Shikhvarger). This is understandable that efforts require not only money, but individuals and skilled workers to deliver aid and implement long-term infrastructures including shelter, drainage, and clean water facilities. However, it is also questionable as to why temporary measures such as vaccinations where not put into place. In his article “Alms Dealers”, Gourevitch claims that images of suffering are more likely to invoke aid and that often, stories are presented “without political or historical context” (106, Gourevitch).

The media creates a situation in which people are compelled to donate their money and feel then, as if they have done their part. There is a sense of disconnection from the real situation in Haiti. Gourevitch also claims that “Emergency aid weakens recipient governments, eroding their accountability and undermining their legitimacy” (108, Gourevitch). Of course, it would be completely unfair to simply ignore the situation in Haiti and let the country deal with the problem themselves, this statement has some truth to it as well, in terms of the way the situation is being managed . Under the Open Society Foundations, Daniel Magloire addresses this particular idea and is critical of the media coverage in regards to Haiti. She claims that as of now, the media is “crammed with personal commentary” and that the facts presented “lack integrity and the necessary background to make sense of them” (Magloire). She explains further, that “the events the media present exist without continuity” leaving the people that are actually experiencing the issues firsthand, unable to understand “the predicament in which they find themselves” (Magloire). She expresses the worthwhile concern that this in turn “weakens the government” and “creates a magical view of reality, one that assumes that human intervention can do little to change things for the better” (Magloire). It would be worthwhile to explore the ways in which current media representation is affecting the perceptions of Haitians themselves, and the consequences of this.

Yan Shikhvarger http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2010/02/18/haiti-disaster-relief-impact-social-digital-media/

Daniele Magloire http://blog.soros.org/2011/01/separating-magic-from-media-in-haiti/

Sarah Boseley http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/12/cholera-haiti