Citizen Khan - Did You Love it or Hate it!?

Were you of the 3 million that last night watched what was billed as the first ever "Asian and Muslim sitcom" which was centered around Mr Khan and his long suffering family. {above}

not seen it? - click here

Everyone’s Talking About It

Social media exploded with everyone opinion divided, some deeming it was hilarious and others saying it were comedy at its worst. Others said it was a disgrace and mocked Islam. Many community groups were angered that it had only reinforced stereotypes, but do you think  mainstream Britain would really watch that and think that’s what most asian families in Britain are like? I don’t think so, after reading some forums, comments left by non-Asians were mostly about the script just not being very good.  

But Let’s Face Facts - We don’t like what we see...

We do have characters just like Mr khan, girls just like Alia and women just like his wife { have to say I shouted Geeeetaaa when I saw her} in our communities, so maybe that’s what’s annoying us is we don’t like who we are? Or what we’re seeing. I have only lived in Manchester for a year or so now and I kid you not, that if I go to Wilmslow road on a weekend, you will see girls just like Alia chilling outside Shisha Lounges. But let’s not tar all hijabis with the same brush, but then I know not to do that, does everyone else?

Running a wedding blog I know arranged marriages are still prevalent, as are mosque committees. Even in my own family, I have members who just can’t be anything less than over dramatic, and decisions are based more upon what people think rather than their own conscience.

So maybe we just need to learn to laugh at ourselves? Or maybe there are only so many clichés you can take in one half hour show.  

Muslims aren’t like that!

Yes that’s right; I have the same grumble every time a new Muslim family are on EastEnders. The portrayal is all wrong. But hang on a minute no one said it was a realistic view of the modern Muslim family; it’s no way classed as a documentary, it's a sitcom. 

When was the last time a sitcom program was like real life? Look at Friends, the flat Rachel and Monica stayed in, realistically they could never have afforded such an apartment, after all one was a waitress {bad one at that} and the other was an out of work chef!

As a Muslim I can understand that people will find it disrespectful the way the Quran was thrown down on the table. {Maybe that was step too far?} Was it done for a reaction? 

Don’t know, but to think that it doesn’t happen in real life and people don’t disrespect their religion is silly, of course they do, were not all devout Muslims. Were not even all good muslims.

In our society we have cases of young men, that read prayers in the mosque, turn the corner and deal drugs, why is no one in an uproar about that, are we all just back seat Muslims? After all its easy to leave a facebook comment blasting the show, that it's mocking islam, but how many will really take the time and write to the BBC and give points to why it was wrong and shouldn’t have been done.

Talking about facebook, just the Citizen Kahn facebook page you have “Muslims” calling each other all the names under the sun, because the disagree with each other, now that’s not very Islamic is it?

All publicity is good publicity

That’s what the media industry is known for, I wonder if not for the parts that was deeming disrespectful to Islam would this show still have got the reaction it has? It’s gotten a lot of attention that’s for sure, be it good or bad.

Love it or Hate it

Personally I loved Goodness Gracious Me, it was the first time we got to see any sort of Asians on mainstream TV, even if it was just taking the piss out of asians. So I did have high hopes, after all writers Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto (The Kumar’s at No 42, Goodness Gracious Me) along with creator Adil Ray wrote the show, but how far has this show came from GGM that was 96’ 98’ it’s now 2012!

I would be lying If I said I didn’t chuckle a few times, but that aside it was lacking in originality, and I only say that because it’s felt like regurgitated versions of goodness gracious me, east is east and bend it like beckham all rolled into one.

I have seen today a lot of people talk about Adil Ray, Is he being vilified for nothing? Surely an Asian show getting a prime time slot on BBC is making way for more Asian based comedy?

But what makes me think is how accurate his view is? nearly everyone behind the show actors and writers aren’t wholly Pakistani, Adil himself is half Pakistani, maybe this is the reason it’s so stereotyped after all they haven’t lived it, they have only gone on hearsay or what they think a Pakistani family is like now? Or should I was like back in 1970!!

Let me know what you think! Did you love it or hate it?