''Asian Provocateur'' is a
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
comedy travel documentary television series shown on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
. In 2015, comedian
Romesh Ranganathan
Jonathan Romesh Ranganathan (born 27 March 1978), is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan and often self-deprecating comedy.
Ranganathan has made numerous appearances on television comedy panel shows, and in 2016 he co-p ...
reluctantly travels to
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
after his mother, Shanthi, tells him that he is a
coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
and that he should meet his relatives who live there and learn about his parents' country—including its culture, religion, and language.
In 2016, a second series, ''Mum's American Dream'', was broadcast on BBC one.
Romesh Ranganathan lands another series of Asian Provocateur
/ref>
Series 1 (2015)
Episode 1: Uncle Thiru
*Air date 30 September
Romesh is sent to receive a traditional blessing in Kegalle
Kegalle ( si, කෑගල්ල; ta, கேகாலை) is a large town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It is located on the Colombo–Kandy road, approximately from Colombo and from Kandy. It is the main town in the Kegalle District ...
, which involves a chicken being rubbed on his head in a ceremony which is black magic
Black magic, also known as dark magic, has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil and selfish purposes, specifically the seven magical arts prohibited by canon law, as expounded by Johannes Hartlieb in 145 ...
rather than Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
. Romesh meets a distant relative, Thiru, who wants Romesh to invest in his business making paper out of elephant dung. Romesh performs rap
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
in Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
with local group MBZ, and is badly received by the group, who insult him.
Episode 2: Uncle Ragu
*Air date 7 October
Romesh visits his Uncle Ragu, in Batticaloa
Batticaloa ( ta, மட்டக்களப்பு, ''Maṭṭakkaḷappu''; si, මඩකලපුව, ''Maḍakalapuwa'') is a major city in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, and its former capital. It is the administrative capital of the B ...
, and go to a village where many of their relatives live. They travel to Kataragama
Kataragama ( si, කතරගම, translit=Kataragama , ta, கதிர்காமம், translit=Katirkrāmam) is a pilgrimage town sacred to Hindu, Buddhist and indigenous Vedda people of Sri Lanka. People from South India also go there to ...
to attend a religious festival.
Episode 3: Uncle Rubaharan
*Air date 14 October
Romesh meets Shanthi's cousin Rubaharan. He introduces Romesh to the ancient martial art of angapora; Romesh loses a fight against a 14-year-old boy. Romesh has an Ayurvedic
Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...
enema
An enema, also known as a clyster, is an injection of fluid into the lower bowel by way of the rectum.Cullingworth, ''A Manual of Nursing, Medical and Surgical'':155 The word enema can also refer to the liquid injected, as well as to a device ...
. He then visits a house which his mother owns and rents out to a religious sect. The tenants encourage him to carry out repairs on the house. He collects honey with Vedda
The Vedda ( si, වැද්දා , ta, வேடர் (''Vēḍar'')), or Wanniyalaeto, are a minority indigenous group of people in Sri Lanka who, among other sub-communities such as Coast Veddas, Anuradhapura Veddas and Bintenne Veddas, ...
s.
Episode 4: Cousin Krishna
*Air date 21 October
Romesh meets his 12 year old cousin, Krishna, who is more intelligent, honest and mature than him. They teach at a school, work at a hotel and perform a Kandyan dance
Kandyan dance ( Sinhala: උඩරට නැටුම්) encompasses various dance forms popular and native to the area called Kandy of the Central Hills region known as Udarata in Sri Lanka, which have today spread to other parts of the countr ...
. Romesh drives an auto rickshaw
An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many terms in various countries including auto, auto rickshaw, baby taxi, mototaxi, pigeon, jonnybee, bajaj ...
.
Episode 5: King Kong
*Air date 28 October
Romesh is tasked with fulfilling a lifelong dream of his mother by performing in a Tamil soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
. He does not manage to be hired to act, so he makes a film himself with Ragu, having hired the cast (including King Kong
King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...
) themselves.
Episode 6: Shanthi's Return
*Air date 4 November
Shanthi heads out to Sri Lanka so see what Romesh has learnt and becomes furious when she realises he has been lying a lot. They go to his aunt's matchmaking
Matchmaking is the process of matching two or more people together, usually for the purpose of marriage, in which case the matchmaker is also known as a marriage broker. The word is also used in the context of sporting events such as boxing, in ...
service and try to find a date for an actor whom the agency have been unable to find a date for. They appear in a music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
with MBZ.
Series 2 (2016)
Episode 1: Cousin Pratheep
*Air date 12 October
Romesh and Shanthi meet cousin Pratheep in Tampa
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. He fails in his attempt to put her into a retirement community for the week, before letting her share his hotel room. Romesh competes in an eating contest
Competitive eating, or speed eating, is an activity in which participants compete against each other to eat large quantities of food, usually in a short time period. Contests are typically eight to ten minutes long, although some competitions c ...
, before quitting. He joins a group of locals who are into monster truck
A monster truck is a specialized off-road vehicle with a heavy duty suspension, four-wheel steering, large-displacement V8 engines and oversized tires constructed for competition and entertainment uses. Originally created by modifying stock pic ...
s and firing guns. He then takes part in a frat party initiation, before joining a gospel choir
Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...
.
Episode 2: The Family Reunion
*Air date 19 October
Romesh and Shanthi go to Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Canada for a family reunion. He and his seven-year-old cousin Shaun perform breakdancing
Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in ...
at Shaun's primary school. Romesh invites Ragu, who arranges for him to be interviewed by online TV station, Naked News
''Naked News'' is a Canadian news and entertainment program owned by Naked Broadcasting Network. It features nude female news presenters reading news bulletins derived from news wires. The show's production studio is located in Toronto. There a ...
. They go a survival trip, in which Ragu surprises Romesh by having him kidnap
In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...
ped. Romesh takes Shanthi to a glacier
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
to see the Northern Lights, despite the fact that he knows there is no chance of seeing them due to cloud cover.
Episode 3: Brother Dinesh
*Air date 26 October
Romesh and Shanthi tour the Deep South
The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion in the Southern United States. The term was first used to describe the states most dependent on plantations and slavery prior to the American Civil War. Following the war ...
with Romesh's younger brother, Dinesh and their uncle Guru. The brothers wrestle
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat spor ...
in and travel in an RV to Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
, where Dinesh fishes for catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...
. Romesh joins a group of male cheerleader
Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...
s in Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
. Dinesh does a sky dive
''Sky Dive'' is the twentieth album by jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, recorded in 1972. It was his fourth album released on Creed Taylor's CTI label and features performances by Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, George Benson, Ron Carter, Billy Cobh ...
.
Episode 4: Cousin Krishna Returns
*Air date 2 November
Romesh hangs out with his cousin Krishna at a cowboy ranch in Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
, where Romesh does badly. Romesh helps administer medical treatment to an alligator
An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additiona ...
. They meet a vigilante who patrols a park alone in a superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
costume. They go a bowling alley where with Romesh's encouragement, Krishna approaches and talks to a girl. Krishna's mother Saroja disapproves, thinking it inappropriate.
Episode 5: Uncle Ragu Returns
*Air date 9 November
Romesh tours Mexico with his uncle Ragu. They take part in a simulated illegal Mexico-US border crossing. They go to a 1980s-themed nightclub
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
in Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
. They go to a shaman
Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritu ...
for a blessing ceremony.
Episode 6: The De Silva Cousins
*Air date 16 November
In their final week, Romesh and Shanthi visit the De Silva cousins. Romesh is disappointed when a trip in a lowrider turns into Shanthi's shopping trip. Romesh and Shanthi become private detectives and meet a drug dealer; Romesh is disappointed when he finds out afterwards that it was faked and that Shanthi was aware of that all along. Romesh and Shanthi go to San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
. Romesh and Shanthi star in a trailer for a non-existent superhero film.
See also
*'' The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan''
References
External links
*
*{{IMDb title, 5060048
2015 British television series debuts
2016 British television series endings
2010s British comedy television series
2010s British travel television series
BBC television comedy
BBC travel television series
English-language television shows
Television series about families
Television shows set in Canada
Television shows set in Mexico
Television shows set in Sri Lanka
Television shows set in Sussex
Television shows set in the United States