MM2 Entertainment is under fire for “being racist”!
The Singaporean production company was accused of racism after an actor, who auditioned for “Ah Boys To Men 4” (新兵正传) over the weekend, was asked to give an exaggerated portrayal of an Indian character by the casting director. The actor, who goes by the name of Shrey Bhargava on Facebook, detailed the ordeal on social media.
“After completing one full take of the audition script, playing a soldier with a Singaporean accent who spoke in colloquial Singlish, I was asked by the casting director to make it ‘a full blown Indian man’,” he wrote.
“I hope that whoever they cast will choose to stick to the natural Singaporean accent they have (which may lean towards Indian but doesn’t have to be full blown) instead of adopt a fake one just to feed the racist humour our country thrives on,” he added.
The Singaporean-Indian actor’s post received mixed response from netizens. While some Facebook users supported his claims, many disagreed with his points.
Meanwhile, MM2 has stepped up to address the issue. In a statement sent to The Straits Times, the producers said that “it is not uncommon during auditions that casting directors decide to test the versatility of actors”. They also added, “(Director) Jack Neo is acutely aware of race sensitivity and will be sensitive and careful when dealing with such a matter.”
The company also explained that such testing “inspires directors with new ideas” and “helps the casting directors in the casting of future productions”.
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Sources: Shrey Bhargava’s Facebook page, The Straits Times.
