Pune: People Call Out Dorabjee’s For Racist Photo In Momo’s Cafe Section, Demand Action
Camp, 1st April 2022: Pune’s famous Dorabjee’s supermarket in Camp is facing people’s ire for a nefarious poster that is on display. The image can be described as a child with east Asian features with an infant on his back with the included text “Momo’s The Steamed food cafe”.
Khaidem Nongpoknganba, General Secretary of North East Students’ Forum at TISS Mumbai, has written to the management of the Dorabjee’s to remove the poster.
“This image is dangerously racist and exoticises poverty. It dehumanizes people and violates the children’s privacy and subscribes to hazardous stereotypes about the food
cultures of the people of an ethnic minority. The children on display are stripped of their identities and their backgrounds decontextualized. The utter shock on their faces as the camera invades their privacy is starkly distinguishable too. I am also appalled at how this image came to be associated with a food item and that your brand managers completely overlooked this.
Keeping in mind, a large number of your consumers are migrants and students from the Northeast, Darjeeling and Ladakh, |expressing deep discontent on behalf of the community.”
Farsheed Patell, Director of Dorabjee & Company Pvt. Ltd, did not respond to phone call or messages for his comments.
Meanwhile, Nongpoknganba post on Instagram about the issue is getting angry reactions from people.
“What kinda mentality really sickening and they thought it’s fine to have such advertisements instead you could have some kids smiling or having delicious momo but no it’s disturbing in every level. Have some common sense for god sake”, posted Tenzi, @loving_maself.
Shimita Rudra (@shimita.rudra) posted “I cant believe this…this was in Pune”
What are their names? This nefarious poster was on display at the cafeteria at Dorabjee’s supermarket in Moledina Road, Camp, Pune. The image can be described as a child with east asian features with an infant on his back with included text “Momo’s The Steamed food cafe”.
The use of monochrome and the way the child stares directly at the camera says a lot about the kind of power relation in display here. For filmmakers and media people in the Indian mainland the gaze on ethnic minorities of the NE is fixed- one of conflict ridden “primitive” societies. What is disturbing is this imagery is now being used to sell food items which are not only employed as slurs but also commonly stereotyped as being definitive of the food culture of the people with such phenotypic features. There should definitely be an inquiry into the photographing process. Was due consent taken? Were the parents aware of their children being photographed to be displayed in this way?
This image is dangerously racist, exoticises poverty, dehumanizes a people, violates the children’s privacy and subscribes to hazardous stereotypes about food cultures of the people of an ethnic minority. The children on display are stripped of their personal identities and their backgrounds decontextualized. The utter shock on their faces as the camera invades their privacy is starkly distinguishable too. I am also appalled at how this image came to be associated with a food item and this was completely overlooked.
As if Steve Mccury’s “Afghan Girl” was not lesson enough. Although Dorabjee’s must be held responsible for this oversight, I also feel this is a product of an incessant culture of portraying the Northeast Indians through an exoticised and dehumanised lens. Cultural gatekeepers in the film industry, the creators from within the community of NE India who have themselves internalized this frame and others in the creative and media community must really reflect on new ways of seeing the Northeast.
Fellow Indians and brothers and sisters from NE, I appeal you to share this post as a means of awareness. Feel free to repost and share. Have requested Dorabjee’s to take down the poster. Response awaited.
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