Why We Need An Indian Disney Princess
Growing up as a Disney fan and especially loving the
Princesses, the closest thing I had to feeling represented was Jasmine. Unlike
the other Princesses, she looked like me because we had the same hair, eyes,
and skin colour. However, I am of Indian descent, and Jasmine is from the
made-up place of Agrabah - so as much as I love Jasmine and all that she stands
for and represents, I still don’t feel like this is enough representation. So,
here’s why I think we need an Indian Disney princess.
Representation
If you’re reading this and thinking ‘another post where she
talks about representation’ then you’re probably in the wrong place, because
representation is something that is really important to me and I will talk
about it as much as I can. Disney is something that is loved globally and by a
diverse group of people, so it is only fair to say that we’d want
representation for everyone. No matter the age group – as we all know that
Disney is timeless – it would mean so much to Indian Disney fans to be able to
see not only someone that resembles them but also their culture represented in
a Disney movie as well as merchandise and other bits that showcase an Indian
Disney princess.
Culture
The culture of music, colour, beautiful outfits, and
Bollywood films (and of course, our delicious food) is something I love about
being Indian. From our movies to our festival celebrations, everything is
bursting with colour and music and these are two things that can play as key
factors in a Disney musical based Princess film. To me, it only makes sense for
there to be an Indian Disney Princess as the culture and heritage of India can
be perfectly woven into one of their films. The possibilities of an Indian
Disney Princess film are endless – it could be about the main character
travelling to India to learn more about her heritage and following all the
interesting people she meets along the way. It could be about a Kingdom within
India and the adventures the main character has. It would be so easy to combine
the Indian culture into a Disney film.
To see an Indian character on the official Princess line-up
for Disney would mean more than I can say to me and I know that others would
feel the same. For new generations to see themselves represented when they walk
into the Disney Store or to be able to have a character meet with a Princess in
a Disney Park that looks just like you…it would be an indescribable feeling of
joy and elation.
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