china: China, learn from us to laugh a little

Oh, China, China, China. Can’t you lighten up a little? Here in democratic ‘indoostan, we crack jokes about state institutions left, right and centrist. They take it on the chin like the good sport they are. But your chin, China, seems too square. We hear you shut down the comedy studio Xiaoguo Culture Media because its comedian ‘severely insulted’ the People’s Liberation Army during two performances last weekend. You thundered that the joke had a ‘vile societal impact’ and that you ‘won’t allow any company or individual to wantonly slander the glorious image’ of the PLA. Your response itself is hilarious. ‘Wontonly’ slander? Get it? Wanton-wonton? No? What?! You think we just insulted Chinese cuisine?

We know we are a democracy that freely revels in poking fun at our figures of authority and those in the political establishment, and our whole country laughs along. Imagine if the character played by Asrani in Sholay got our authorities frothing for showing the Indian Police Service, no less glorious than your PLA, in full buffoon light? Or films showing corrupt politicians got every second movie that’s not made by Vivek Agnihotri in trouble? And, please, don’t accuse us of being the kadhai calling the wok black. There’s nothing wrong in Napoleon measuring himself against a midget to show himself as being tall.