How Ethnicity is represented in 'Compulsion'

The TV Drama 'Compulsion' presents various aspects such as camera shots, sound, editing and mis en scene to help contribute to Ethnicity. All of these different aspects help the audience to gain a better insight and understanding into the Indian culture displayed on screen.
In the five minute clip that we viewed in class, it showed an Indian Family having a party which is for their daughter who has just turned 25 years old. Her parents want her to marry an Indian man to follow their traditions and values, however, she rebels and has an affair with an English man at the party. 

• Costumes - The costumes of the majority of guests at the party are Indian-orientated, consisting of lots of jewellery and colourful and traditional saries. This emphasises the Indian culture proving that they follow their religion in how to dress. The daughter had been studying at Cambridge University and some of her English friends attended the party. This enabled us to see the English culture and how they dressed. The girl was in a stylish dress and the man was dressed in a suit proving they are not associated with the Indian culture.
• Music/Sound - There are lots of examples of both diagetic and non-diagetic sound during the clip. The music being played throughout the party includes lots of instruments and would resemble Bollywood music. The music used has an element of elegance and sets the scene in the viewer's mind.
• Setting - The set of the party has been culturally decorated with religious ornaments and symbols. It looks very colourful and also helps set the scene in the viewer's mind.
• Names - The names of the Indian people immediately reinforce the emphasis on culture, as they are not English at all.
• Accents - It appeared that the older people of the Indian ethnicity had a stronger accent and were traditionally dressed. On the other hand, the younger Indian people possessed a standard British accent which proves she is multi-cultural. Additionally, her friends from Cambridge Uni illustrate this as well.
• Camera Shots - At the beginning of the clip there is an establishing shot displaying a big house. It would seem to the audience that the family live in a rich community. The clothing, setting, props and the drugs all reinforce this view. The drugs prove that the people involved can afford cocaine, additionally emphasising they are sophisticated and elegant.

 Another shot that I noticed was, the Indian people were placed at the back of the shot and the English people were near the front of the camera shot, there was also a gap separating the different cultures. This shows the division of the two ethnic groups and shows the cultures are not fully integrated. The younger generations are, however the older generations are not.


Finally, there is a shot including Ray Winstone admiring the daughter who's party it was, this is a point of view shot, showing the image from his eyes.
Ray Winstone is usually known for his stereotypical gangster roles in different TV shows and films. The viewer is already aware of his traits and they can immediately make connotations. As his character provides the drugs, he succeeds in bringing the criminal World to the Indian community portraying class and wealth. This therefore displays a murky underworld as the Indian man asks for drugs.