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Sikh Family In Channel 4 Reality Show


dalsingh101

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This will probably be of interest to many of us here!

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-family/episode-guide/series-2

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When I first saw the advert I thought this was some kind of live action sikh version of family guy. Unfortunately, i was wrong and this looks to be a very bizarre programme. It will upset many fundamentalists who have certain views on how great modern sikhs are. Luckily this programme will be shown after their bedtimes so we wont have too many tantrums lol. Hopefully they wont know that all of the episode will be put on 4oD (channel 4's on demand online service).

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When I first saw the advert I thought this was some kind of live action sikh version of family guy.

Ha ha ha!!!! I wont say anything more as it will be rude to the aunty ji!

Unfortunately, i was wrong and this looks to be a very bizarre programme.

Even though the family volunteered for this, I just hope it isn't another attempt to make Sikhs look like dungars. The family is brave or really naive. I just hope they haven't edited it for maximum comical and pi55 taking effect. You know the old, nudge nudge - wink wink, look at those clowns type thing. But this family does seem like teh jokey type anyway. Maybe they really are a Panjabi SImpson family. lol

It will upset many fundamentalists who have certain views on how great modern sikhs are. Luckily this programme will be shown after their bedtimes so we wont have too many tantrums lol. Hopefully they wont know that all of the episode will be put on 4oD (channel 4's on demand online service).

We have to face the reality of the panth today including many different types I guess. I just hope it isn't one of those programmes that makes me want to switch off in disgust after a while.

Edited by dalsingh101
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It's on at 9.00 tonight on Channel 4 for anyone interested. I for one am interested in how an average "Asian" family is portrayed on national British TV.

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Well worth a watch.

Catch it on:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-family/4od#3007633

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  • 2 weeks later...

An interesting-ish programme. Pretty standard family stuff. One thing i did notice is how the girl getting married did a cross thing when she was praying. Is she sikh or christian? In the first programme we also saw the issue of marriages that cross caste boundaries and what effects that has. In this case i think the girl's mother was also annoyed at how the girl was marrying someone a bit older than her and the fact his job wasnt as good as hers.

Fundamentalists are those sikhs who have this ideal image of what 'real' sikhs are (of course this image is usually what they see themselves as, regardless of any real criticism or perception from others). Anyone who isnt as good as they want them to be is then a jatt/punjabi/etc.

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I saw the second episode last night. At first I wasn't too keen about watching it because I was a bit apprehensive about the possible 'mahkhol' of the community. Having seen that program a lot of things have fallen into place.

The Grewal family are a bunch of natak wallay, by this I mean they have strong links to acting/drama/performance. The father himself was a minor actor in India in his youth and the family are actively involved in staging dramas as we saw. The program makes sense in this context .

I thought the episode about the daughter and her Bollywood husband was a bit contrived but I am guessing they are using this opportunity to practice their acting skills and raise their profile.

As a Panjabi, one thing I do find alien is the way in which they have broadcast their family problems for all to see. On the other hand I think it is good for Sikhs to actually start talking about social problems we have amongst ourselves, instead of the standard practice of pretending it isn't happening or ignoring it.

Going back to the last post. How do people feel this family represents an average Panjabi family of Sikh descent? They seem typically West London to me in many ways (i.e. work at Heathrow). The way that drinking was an issue in the family was also typically Panjabi. However the arguing seemed tame compared to average ones in Panjabi households...lol

Edited by dalsingh101
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Dude is there anyway we can get this on youtube??? Unfortunately UK media online is not very generous to us Canadians or anyone trying to access their video archives outside of UK...its giving an error msg saying- content only available to UK folks, bloody flipping hell- defeats the whole process of World Wide Web...idiots...!

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Veer ji

I have no idea about how to do that. Maybe one of the younger techy wiz's could help?

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Funnily enough we have the same problem when trying to watch North American content.

You can try this:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-family/4od#3007633

If that doesnt work, you'll have to make do with this:

http://www.youtube.com/user/channel4

If you really want to watch it, you may already have an ISP address resetting programme. It may be possible to set this to somewhere in the UK. I am not sure about any finer details but someone might know what I'm going on about.

You meant those who use the definitions given by Guru Sahib?

Well it would look that way if you only read the part of my post you quoted, but it was not exactly what i meant. You say Guru Sahib told us what defines a sikh. Okay can you write a list then? Chances are this list will differ from most other sikhs. Some people may also get really annoyed with some parts and say that they are wrong or are not as important as others. Also, there is the chance you will not match those definitions given. What are you then? A punjabi? A jatt? I'm sure our Gurus would be proud to see us replace one form of prejudice and pointless hierarchies with another. A fundamentalist is one person with a list who uses it to bash others yet refuses to be beholden to that list. You cant deny that some amritdharis wish they could get away with murder, some believing that they should get privileges over the rest of us. Before the economic crash, i remember an amritdhari in my local gurudwara saying that the gurudwara's income should be divided between amritdhari families (after gurudwara upkeep is paid for). When someone pointed out that most of the donations are from moneh and keshdharis, the response was 'so what?'. Would our Gurus approve of such an attitude? Luckily the moron who suggested it wasnt liked enough to be in the management, otherwise any attempt to try that idea would have split the sangat right down the middle. Ranting aside, you should ponder dalsingh's question.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I don't know if anyone saw this weeks episode but I thought it really highlighted Panjabi extended family issues and dynamics well. One of the interesting points was made by the son-in-law of the house (Indian born and raised) who seems to disapprove of the way his future sister-in-law had left home to live with her boyfriend's family against the wishes of her own family. He said of his own daughter, "I would never talk to her if she did that to me".

I also understand why the bride to be's mom is so upset now........I think most Panjabi moms would be, if they discovered a daughter's relationship in the way she did.

My respect goes to the father though, who has done the right thing and valiantly tries to keep the old Panjabi extended family ideal alive under his own roof. I didn't know anyone still tried this anymore! lol

Shavaash!

PS - I have to add that the nou-sus relationship here is the best I've ever seen so far. A lot of budhreean could learn from it........

Edited by dalsingh101
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i watch it every week lol

i'm just glad to see any sikh faces on mainstream television - there havent been many programmes in any way related to people in our community for yeeears. whether or not it shows us in a positive light (which it has so far) at least it is a real insight for most people in the UK than having a sikh channel even as its mainstream.

it takes courage to put your "reputation" in the hands of tv producers and allow your family life to be seen on tv.

think we could do with more such programmes so that issues in our community can be brought out and discussed rather than previous fake "sensationalising" of issues and "controversy" that media usually try to feed on

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Anyway.....

Anyone else notice the younger brother (is it Thindi?), wearing a Khalistan top?

Edited by dalsingh101
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Anyway.....

Anyone else notice the younger brother (is it Thindi?), wearing a Khalistan top?

I did...My friends met him at a club in Nottingham 2 weeks ago hes meant to be really nice or either he was being nice to them because they are girls lol

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No. Which episode was that?

A few weeks ago. It was very brief, he was walking out of the house and you saw Khalistan written on the back of his top.

I did...My friends met him at a club in Nottingham 2 weeks ago hes meant to be really nice or either he was being nice to them because they are girls lol

Zulu: Another genuine nice guy is Jay Sean. Apparently he is a gentleman, much to the disappointment of gundian groupie type kootian. unlike some of his other well known fellow artist associates. He invited some kurian back to his hotel room once and proceeded to have a discussion and made them tea....lol....I think they were on more of a charitrio pakyaan vibe though...lol

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A few weeks ago. It was very brief, he was walking out of the house and you saw Khalistan written on the back of his top.

Zulu: Another genuine nice guy is Jay Sean. Apparently he is a gentleman, much to the disappointment of gundian groupie type kootian. unlike some of his other well known fellow artist associates. He invited some kurian back to his hotel room once and proceeded to have a discussion and made them tea....lol....I think they were on more of a charitrio pakyaan vibe though...lol

even funnier was tindy asked them if they could come back to their place LOl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! quite funny obviously they said no as they are 22 hes like 27?

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I've probably mentioned this before but sometimes it feels as if Tindy is advertising himself for marriage with this programme.

Come on! That's obvious. Thindi the virgin, yeah sure! You see the one where he got upset with the gora asking him too many questions about his love life on camera. lol

Plus he probably looks at the the hoo ha with his older bro and thinks...I want to avoid that.

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  • 12 years later...

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