#mexploitation

La India María: Mexploitation and the Films of María Elena Velasco

La India María—a humble and stubborn indigenous Mexican woman—is one of the most popular characters of the Mexican television. The character frequently endures situations of racial discrimination, classism, and corruption, although in all of these turmoils, María undoubtedly resolves them with hilarious acts of good-nature and morality. She has represented the poor indigenous and the migrant worker for over 30 years.

Despite being an illiterate woman and very prone to mistakes, la India María has shown to be of quick wit. Many people try to take advantage of her good nature and some unfortunately get away with it. However, in the end she manages to defeat even powerful villains with her good intentions and ability to turn their influence against them.

In her first appearence on the big screen, in the movie Tonta, tonta pero no tanto (directed by Fernando Cortés, 1972), María is encouraged by her cousin Eufemia, who has found work for her, to migrate from the poor Village San Jose de Los Burros to Mexico City for a better life. However, she is robbed as soon as she gets out of the train, and is homeless. But she soon finds help from TV personality Paco Malgesto, who makes an announcement of her story, where Eufemia soon goes after to pick her up.

Created and portrayed by María Elena Velasco, La India María has delighted audiences since the late 1960s with slapstick humor that slyly critiques discrimination and the powerful. At the same time, however, many critics have derided the iconic figure as a racist depiction of a negative stereotype and dismissed the India María films as exploitation cinema unworthy of serious attention. By contrast, La India María builds a convincing case for María Elena Velasco as an artist whose work as a director and producer—rare for women in Mexican cinema—has been widely and unjustly overlooked.

In 2017, Harvard introduced a course, titled “La India María: Mexploitation and the Films of María Elena Velasco,” to analyze Velasco’s important work in front of and behind the cameras in the male-dominated world of Mexican cinema.

The Woman Behind “La India María”

Velasco was born on December 17, 1940, in Puebla, Mexico. Her father worked as a railway mechanic, and her mother was a homemaker. The family moved to Mexico City where Velasco began her artistic journey.

In 1962, Velasco caught the attention of producer Miguel Morayta while performing at the Teatro Blanquita. He cast her in her first film, “Los derechos de los hijos” (1963). Although her initial roles were serious, she soon infused comedy into her performances. It was during this time that she developed the character Elena María, a rural Mexican woman.

Puerto Rican Director Fernando Cortés recommended Velasco for a sketch portraying an indigenous woman named “María.” Dressed in traditional garb, complete with braided hair and colorful native attire, Velasco created La India María. The segment became a hit on the weekly program “Siempre en domingo,” hosted by Raúl Velasco (no relation to María Elena). 

Velasco’s first La India María film, “Tonta, tonta, pero no tanto” (1972), directed by Cortés, was a resounding success. Cortés went on to direct eight more La India María films until his death in 1979. They were considered low-budget comedies, but they made La India María a star.

Her films broke box office records and are still popular to this day. La India María also had her own comic book, recorded albums, starred in a stage show, and even appeared in a sitcom. But all of this fame and recognition also raised questions.

On May 1, 2015, María Elena Velasco died. But she lives on as one of Mexico’s greatest stars of the big screen.