Arnold in India

People often ask where I live over here, and when I say California, the first thing out of peoples’ mouth is inevitably “ARNOLD”!!!  Forget LA, San Francisco, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, redwoods, the Golden Gate Bridge, etc- EVERYONE knows Arnold and wants to talk about him.  From autorickshaw drivers to friends to waiters, I’ve probably talked to ½ of Tamil Nadu about the former Governator.  It’s made me think- what’s the appeal of Arnold over here? 

First, I think his movies have all been big over here- action movies don’t really require you to understand English very well to enjoy the movie, and I see some similarities between Arnold movies and Kollywood action flicks.

Also, his bodybuilding accomplishments are well-known over here, to my surprise.  I think there is a movement for fitness over here, and I have seen many gyms popping up all over Coimbatore.  Many of them are adorned with a pic of Arnie back in his Mr. Universe/roid days.  When people start talking Arnold with me, I talk about his movies, but people often seem more interested in his bodybuilding days!

His split with his wife is also a hot topic in India, to my surprise.  I didn’t think this kind of news would have made it over here, but it seems like common knowledge.  I remember trying to explain what happened to a rickshaw driver and having an extremely difficult time trying to communicate between our language barrier and the noise of the street and the auto’s two-stroke engine.

I think there is also appeal here that an immigrant to the US can reach the levels of success that Arnold has had.  Say what you will about him and his movies and politics, but in many ways he is the American dream- you can come here as a foreigner, thick accent and all, and still make it big.

Finally, I think folks see the similarity between politicians in Tamil Nadu and California, since both places seem to have a tendency to elect former actors to power.  In fact, whomever has been the top politician in TN has had ties to the movie industry since the state's inception.  People are often curious if Arnold is a good Chief Minister (the equivalent of governor in India) and what he stands for politically.

I think all of this goes to show that we don’t pick what aspects of American culture and celebrity we export around the world, but rather it all depends on who resonates with the people.  If you’re reading this and still not feeling the love Stateside at the moment, Mr. Schwarzenegger, I suggest you come over to India, I’m pretty sure you are still adored on this side of the world!