Cast study Citizen Khan

Citizen Khan

 

Citizen Khan is fairly new comedy series which conveys comedy through the use of many techniques and conventions. The fact that it’s a fairly new comedy fits in with today’s modern day stereotype of the Asian culture and how they behave for example the character of Aalia who wears a hijab sometimes and takes it off when parents aren’t looking. This show has manage to capture the attention of many people for positive reasons as being funny but also being a huge stereotypical debate which some people find offensive.

In this short episode, a variety of camera angles are used in order for humour to be conveyed. In this scene, a wide shot is being used in order to show that Mrs Khan is running to open the door for Mr khan as she runs in a funny manner and the wide shots manages to capture the whole running scene

 

 

The shot then changes to a zoom/ close up of the toilet role tissue he has brought in as emphasis is added on the amount of toilet role Mr Khan has bought. This adds humour because of the sheer stupidity of it as he bought so many toilet role tissues but it also reflects upon the Asian stereotype because he is being portrayed as cheap and got a good deal on it.

Close ups are also used in Citizen Khan In order to capture characters facial expressions. Humour is exploited from this because of her look of disgust at the toilet tissue.

 

 I chose to print screen this part of the episode because I felt that this close up strongly related back to Mr Bean as in this scene, Mr Khan and a white skinned character are getting in to a competition is eating chillies. This can relate to the scene of Mr Bean where he gets into the competition of making a sandwich which I have explored in my other case study. Also, stereotypes are explored here as Mr Khan is an Asian person and the other character is white so it’s showing to the audience how an Asian person would act if in a situation of competition against another race.

 

In Citizen Khan, mainly two shots are used in order to help the audience understand what is going on in the episode and who’s talking to whom. The effect of this is that is that is shows specifically when the two characters are talking, everybody else is isolated from the conversation and that it’s only going on between them.

 

Another common shot that’s used in Citizen Khan is the mid shot. This was done in order for the focus of the way the characters are presented in Citizen Khan for example the clothing/costumes they are wearing. Comedy can be exploited from this because for example the way Mr Khan dresses is funny and sort of old fashioned. This also shows Mr Khan’s body language as it shows that he is laid back and firmly shows his power as provider of the family.

The sound used in Citizen Khan is mainly dialogue and audience laughter. The accent of Mr Khan adds humour because he is speaking in a funny tone but also exploring the way which Asian people talk which again challenges the Asian stereotype. Also, Mr Khan speaks in a taboo lexis “bloody door” the effect of this is that it adds emphasis to the humour of the way things are done in this show. It also portrays him as a forceful person and he needs to exercise his power through the use of taboo lexis in order to get things done whenever he wants.