That’s a very good question. In my opinion I think it’s okay that the rising trend can lead to some commercializing, because there are still ways to find actual good guidance on Hinduism if someone was serious about it. But many others don’t like the rising trend.

There are some great ones out there! I would recommend “Maha Avatar Narsima”, “OMG - Oh My God”, “Dharam Sankat Mein”. There are also some not-so-good ones like Brahmastra (this one tries to start a fantasy franchise like Percy Jackson).

I agree that the media went a bit too far with saying the ad was for eugenics. You brought up some very interesting points, and yes, advertisements should feature more minorities. That doesn't need to fall completely on AE, though, most companies are at fault. #304F25 @cfuchstv.bsky.social

It's a shame to think that Maxwell's sentence is improving; I thought her sentence was getting worse. Is NBC showing every side of the case? And I wonder what they must be saying now about the recent emails being released. #304F25 @cfuchstv.bsky.social

This project is very interesting and alarming! I've heard of Tilly Norwood and it's frightening to see companies wanting to replace real people. I wanted to add how Disney used AI to resurrect the late Peter Cushing for Rogue One. We need to protect our real workers. #304F25 @cfuchstv.bsky.social

Since I used to not be a fan of horror, I wasn't very familiar with this trope until a few years back. I still haven't seen lots of recent ones, so these recommendations are great! What do you think pushed the final girl to evolve into a stronger character?
#304F25 @cfuchstv.bsky.social

As someone who hasn't followed Taylor Swift, it is interesting to see what kind of themes she's focused on; I had no idea! She seems to be highlighting a lot of women's issues that aren't really discussed.
#304F25 @cfuchstv.bsky.social

It's really reassuring to hear that loving fictional characters isn't a delusional thing to do! I also want to mention another fictional man, Aragorn (from the Lord of the Rings). He's another great example of someone who's honest, admirable, and very empathetic. #304F25 @cfuchstv.bsky.social

Even Monkey Man isn’t perfect: it twists the story of Hanuman and revels in the violence despite Hinduism’s nonviolent ideals. Yet, it is a good comment on the problems of the Hindutva moment. Nevertheless, Hinduism continues to grow in popularity and become more accessible to the masses. (8/8)

The corrupt government in Monkey Man uses Hinduism as a tool to repress the minority. Kid dons a monkey mask (and other imagery) to represent the Hindu god Hanuman, a powerful warrior in the scriptures that fights demons. In this way, Kid uses Hinduism to battle the false portrayers in power.

Last year, Dev Patel directed Monkey Man, a direct critique of Hindutva. In it a boxer named Kid, a victim of corrupt persecution, tries to get revenge on the conservative officials in power. He transforms into a champion of the minority (specifically trans & intersex), defeating the politicians.

Hindutva has been criticized as Anti-Muslim, conservative, and can stray from Hinduism’s nonviolent ideals. The movement inspired rioters in 1992 to destroy a 1500s mosque, Babri Masjid, because of claims that it was originally built on a Hindu religious site. The court ruled to relocate the Mosque.

Post-Indian independence, Hindutva rose to separate India from both the British and Islamic Mughal rule. At its core is the Hindu nationalist group RSS, which is tied to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). They seek for unity and discipline to build a Hindu state, yet often steering far-right.

Meanwhile in India, Hinduism is the most widely practiced religion. But recently, Hindutva, a Hindu Nationalist movement, came to power through the prime minister, Narendra Modi, of the BJP. Where did Hindutva start, and does it follow Hinduism’s ideals any better than the West does?

Star Wars, the Matrix, Interstellar, and more inspire from Vedic ideas (not always accurately). For example, The Legend of Bagger Vance adapted the Bhagavad Gita to golf. Sadly, it used the “wise negro” trope, where the black caddy offered the white main character wisdom about life when needed.

Yes, I feel that these are both examples of how modern people can misuse Hinduism to their own benefit, like the rioters destroying the Mosque or Kash Patel bragging about his posessions.