The Racist Imagery of ‘Indiana Jones’: How SNL Mocked and Misappropriated Sacred Elements of the Hindu Faith
- This “progressive” show echoed what are perhaps the most common tropes used by extreme right-wing religious fundamentalists to attack and degrade Hindus.
What comes to mind when you think of “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”? An exotic, adventure, comedy, action, and hijinks drama? For many of us from the Hindu community, though, the movie mainly evokes disgust and painful memories — memories of humiliation, misrepresentation, cultural stereotyping, and bullying.
The fake, deeply racist and dehumanizing depiction of Hinduism in this 1984 movie led to widespread mocking and bullying, scarring many brown kids growing up in the West. Some of us still carry the trauma of being taunted about “eating monkey brains” by our peers in school in the 80s and 90s.
Those painful memories were revived recently when Saturday Night Live (SNL) aired a skit called “Friendly,” which chose to revive and amplify the racist imagery of Indiana Jones. The skit associated Hinduism with human sacrifice, regurgitating the harmful trope from the Temple of Doom, portraying Hindus as violent and barbaric. It did this while also mocking and misappropriating sacred elements of the Hindu faith
“Om Namah Shivaya” is one of the venerated mantras in the Hindu tradition, offering solace and comfort to millions around the world. Yet, SNL chose to use it in a parody celebrating human sacrifice of all things.
Ma Kali is the fiercest and most beloved goddess in Hinduism. And Hinduism is the only mainstream faith to worship female divinity, as part of its Shakti Tradition. Yet, SNL chose to mock and degrade this powerful feminine deity as a “demonic” figure, ironically on Women’s Day! In doing so, this “progressive” show echoed what is perhaps the most common trope used by extreme right-wing religious fundamentalists to attack and degrade Hindus. Ma Kali and other Hindu deities being denounced as “demonic” is one of the oldest and most persistent tropes against Hinduism.
While satire and humor are vital expressions of free speech, they need to be balanced with a responsibility to avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes. As a minority religion, both globally and certainly in the West, Hindus have historically been misunderstood and misrepresented in popular culture.
Nor is it relevant to compare this with SNL’s mockery of a majority faith like Christianity, because Hindus are a tiny minority in the West. Studies have shown that only one in five Americans even knows a Hindu and or much about Hinduism. Literature and arts, starting from the colonial times to now, often depict us as “Hindu savages.” So, a “joke” about an unknown minority is usually seen as reality by the majority, which has no comparative framework.
The problem is not just hurt feelings. This sort of misrepresentation can have tangible consequences. –reinforcing long-standing, dehumanizing tropes used to justify the mistreatment and subjugation of our people.
Over the past few years, there’s been a dangerous escalation in the anti-Hindu hate and Hinduphobic tropes flooding online spaces. And academic research has found that unfettered online hate can lead to real-life hate. Since 2022, there has been a rise in physical attacks against Hindu individuals and Hindu temples in the US and Canada. Coincidentally, on the same day this skit was aired, California’s largest Hindu temple was vandalized.
In 2024, data from the hate crime hotline run by the State of California showed that anti-Hindu hate was the second most prevalent in the religious category, second only to antisemitism.
PIN ITThe gravity of the situation has been recognized by states like Georgia and California cities like Fremont and Cupertino via formal proclamations condemning Hinduphobia.
CoHNA has already called out the many problems with the ‘skit’, But while SNL needs to take corrective action and review its impact on the Hindu community for perpetuating harmful stereotypes, this is just ONE instance of a larger problem that we face today.
As societies evolve, so do moralities, sensibilities, and an understanding of what is right and wrong. Certain depictions of race and minority groups might have been seen as “OK” in the past, but are no longer acceptable. This is similar to what we have seen happen with other “classic” and formerly acclaimed movies – just consider the case of “Gone with the Wind” – widely condemned today for its harmful racial representations. It is no longer acceptable to create jokes that echo the assumption of that movie and others like it, because it is seen as bigotry.
So is it time to revisit some of our “classics,” such as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom? Surely it’s time to reassess so that they do not continue to “inspire” or perpetuate crass, harmful, and dangerous tropes. Are we ready to relegate these as relics of a racist past? And can we now imagine building a future where all communities, including Hindus, are treated with dignity and respect?
Pushpita Prasad is a storyteller and communications professional with a background in working with media, technology, and history. She is passionate about topics related to India, Human Rights, Hinduism, and Culture. Pushpita is involved with organizations focused on advocating for minorities, finding their stories, and helping to elevate their voices through multiple media and channels.