Indo-americans Upset With Jason Bateman Over Film Slurs

Leading Indo-Americans have taken offence to the trailer of Jason Bateman's new movie Bad Words, insisting the film's use of derogatory words directed towards a young Indian character is unacceptable.

The chairman of the Indo-American Leadership Confederation Rajan Zed, who is also a leading Hindu statesman in the U.S., has viewed the teaser and is urging filmmakers to remove the slurs from the completed film.

He tells Wenn, "Addressing an Indo-American kid as 'Hey Slumdog' and using the words 'curry hole' for him smells of xenophobia and racism. Indo-Americans are for free speech as much anybody else, if not more, but unnecessarily belittling a community with stereotyped remarks, even in a comedy, hurts the community.

"Filmmakers should be more responsible while handling race and faith related subjects.

"Moreover, talking to a young child that way was really inappropriate and disappointing."

Zed is also calling for Bateman, the film's star and director, to issue a formal apology.

Bad Words, in which Bateman portrays a foul-mouthed 40-year-old Spelling Bee hopeful who befriends an Indo-American kid, is scheduled for release in the U.S. in March (14).