Savita Bhabhi
Savita Bhabhi is a pornographic cartoon character, a housewife. Her promiscuous behaviour is justified by her being ignored by her husband (Ashok). The title bhabhi (sister-in-law) is respectfully attached to first names of North Indian housewives. The character was promoted through a comic strip medium by anonymous people active in India. It has since been converted into a subscription-based strip owned by kirtu.com.
History
It proved controversial in the conservative Indian setting as soon as it was introduced. Some critics felt it represented the face of new India's ultra-liberal section.[1][2]
The Savita Bhabhi Movie was released on May 2013; it deals with the subject of internet censorship in a humorous way with Savita Bhabhi as the heroine who saves the day.
Controversies
Graphic novelist Sarnath Banerjee on the ban of Savita Bhabhi.[3]
Production of pornography is broadly illegal in India.[4] As a result, the original website was censored by the Indian government under its anti-pornography laws. This was met with criticism from the likes of prominent Indian libertarian bloggers and journalist Amit Varma.[5] Eventually the mainstream media columnists joined in criticizing the ban as reflecting a "meddlesome, patriarchal mindset" of a "Net Nanny" government. This resulted in an online movement to save the character from being destroyed.[6]
Initially the creators of the site chose to remain anonymous, going under the assumed collective name Indian Porn Empire.[7] However, in 2009, the creator of the site Puneet Agarwal, a second generation Indian living in the UK revealed his identity in an attempt to fight against the ban. However a month later, due to family pressure he announced his decision to take down the comic strip.[8]
The presence of a character bearing a resemblance to Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan also met with criticism on Indian television channels.[9]
Influences
- The producers of the upcoming comedy Bollywood film titled Sheetal Bhabhi have claimed that it draws inspiration from Savita Bhabhi.[10]
- The filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma is reported to be making a cinema movie bringing Savita Bhabhi's character to celluloid.[11]
- Savita Bhabhi, a Movie is released in May 2013.[12]
- My Sexy Savita, a dedicate website of Savita Bhabhi launched by Yellowplum Limited back in 2014 bringing the cartoon character into reality.[13]
Savita Bhabhi – The Movie
UK-based businessman Puneet Agarwal has tried to bring back the Savita Bhabhi in the form of an animated movie titled Savita Bhabhi Movie [14]
See also
References
- ↑ "Savita Bhabhi is the new face of freedom". newindianexpress.com.
- ↑ "India's Independent Weekly News Magazine". Tehelka. Retrieved 2012-07-22.
- ↑ "Govt Bans Popular Toon Porn Site Savitabhabhi.com; Mounting Concern Over Censorship". contentsutra.com.
- ↑ Meet India's first porn star
- ↑ "Savita Bhabhi Fights Censorship". indiauncut.com.
- ↑ "Save Our Savita Bhabhi". by Venkatesan Vembu, Daily News & Analysis, July 3, 2009.
- ↑ Moore, Matthew (11 September 2008). "Indians hooked on pornographic web comic". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- ↑ "Savita Bhabhi's creator decides to end campaign". dnaindia.com.
- ↑ Overdorf, Jason (2010). "Meet India's first porn star". globalpost.
- ↑ Nelson, Dean (6 March 2011). "India's cartoon porn star to become Bollywood film". The Telegraph UK. London. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
- ↑ Vats, Rohit (23 November 2012). "Savita Bhabhi: Cartoon porn to Ram Gopal Varma's film star? Bo". IBN Live. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ↑ "NextBigWhat".
- ↑ "My Sexy Savita".
- ↑ "Savita Bhabhi The Movie – Savita Bhabhi’s big screen adventure". YouthTimes. May 6, 2013.