Opinion: Indian culture is consistently exploited without accountability
From Hollywood red carpets to Coachella, our columnist writes that Indian culture is constantly appropriated without credit. She calls for accountability, respect and acknowledgment of the people behind the beauty. Khloe Scalise | Contributing Illustrator
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.
On Jan. 28, Margot Robbie appeared at the premiere of her latest film, “Wuthering Heights,” wearing a couture Schiaparelli gown and a pillaged Indian diamond necklace. It’s unfortunately not surprising to see Indian culture exploited in Western society.
For a country consistently demeaned and berated, India has seen much of its beauty appropriated without acknowledgment, as its lush culture continues to be exploited.
Nur Jahan’s Taj Mahal necklace carries a story of devotion and love, given to her by her husband, Mughal Emperor Jahangir, with the words “love is everlasting” inscribed alongside her name. Subsequently, when India was ruthlessly colonized by England, the necklace was looted. In the years since its displacement, it has been renamed and rebranded — referred to as a Cartier piece or as Elizabeth Taylor’s necklace — but never by the name of the original owner or the country to which it belonged.
The necklace’s journey reflects a troubling pattern of Indian exploitation, including the theft of its wealth, the erasure of its origins and the reframing of violently appropriated objects as Western before anything else. It was stripped of its own history to better fit the narratives of its oppressors.
For Robbie to wear the necklace at this particular premiere feels especially pointed, given the controversy already surrounding the film. Heathcliff, a character explicitly described as a brown man in the novel, was cast as none other than Jacob Elordi, effectively erasing the entire plot’s commentary on marginalization and racial disparity.
It’s prognostic to see a white actress in a white-dominated, whitewashed film wearing a looted necklace to its premiere. After years of unchecked exploitation, it’s imperative we don’t allow this appropriation to continue without acknowledgement of its roots.
While other communities have gained at least some recognition for their influence after years of hard-earned activism, Indians are still met with silence. Black people are credited for their impact on music and streetwear, and Hispanic people for their influence on food and dance. There is still a long way to go, but acknowledgement would at least be a starting point.
The Indian community has faced both racist violence and deportation with little sustained advocacy in its defense. There are no large-scale rallies supporting these concerns and even fewer public callouts beyond the community itself. There is a deeply rooted negligence of Indian people that allows for this continued exploitation of our culture to exist.
In fact, Robbie is not even the first Hollywood star to flaunt stolen Indian jewels.
While other communities have gained at least some recognition for their influence after years of hard-earned activism, Indians are still met with silence.Dayna Bhatti Roberts, Columnist
In 2022, YouTube personality Emma Chamberlin went to the Met Gala wearing Maharaja of Patiala’s diamond choker, a piece long rumored to have disappeared during British rule in India. This choker was later acquired by Cartier, a luxury brand with a documented history of acquiring looted jewelry.
Just last year, Indian celebrity Diljit Dosanjh was denied the right to wear the very same necklace. India and its people are often demeaned for their heritage, forced to assimilate to purportedly “Western” ways in white spaces — all while having to watch their white counterparts exploit their own culture.
It’s a mockery and a blatant example of modern-day racism gone rampant.
Even Coachella fashion is deeply rooted in appropriation. Traditional Indian garments are rebranded as white “boho-chic” staples that make the festival so iconic. Lehenga tops are reduced to “beaded shirts” and dupattas to “scarves.” While Indian people are shamed for their heritage, foreigners can flaunt stolen aspects of it freely, marketing it as vintage rather than acknowledging its true origins.
As movements rise in response to heightened hatred, racism and conservatism, it’s time for India and its people to receive the same level of advocacy and representation. There should be no debate over casting Elordi as a brown character, it was unacceptable. Likewise, traditional Indian clothing shouldn’t be rebranded as “hippie” or “boho” when it’s, quite simply, cultural attire.
If we truly want to see change in Western media, we need to hold even our favorite celebrities accountable for taking roles from brown actors and for treating traditional Indian pieces like costume jewelry. Much like the backlash that followed when Kim Kardashian wore Marilyn Monroe’s dress, there must be anger, passion and a collective voice strong enough to make it clear that this mockery cannot continue.
Rather than rendering an entire country and its people invisible to freely exploit its abundant culture, we should bring that culture into the spotlight, appreciating its beauty and history.
Mehndi, your favorite local Indian restaurant, lehenga tops and dupattas can all be rightfully appreciated — but only if there is an effort to understand the people and histories behind them.
Dayna Bhatti Roberts is a junior majoring in creative writing and English and textual studies. She can be reached at dbrobert@syr.edu.
