Similarly, The Green Knight, a 2021 film based on the famous Arthurian folklore written in the 14th century, surprisingly had Dev Patel as its protagonist. The film garnered great reviews upon its release. For the film adaptation of this novel, the makes followed the colour-blind approach and chose Dev Patel, a British-Indian actor, as its lead, along with several actors of varying ethnicities. People of colour could now see themselves in historical/period genres, a welcome change from white domination.ĭavid Copperfield is an infamous novel by Charles Dickens in the 19th century based on his own life. This approach not only helped bring the best talent onto the big screen but also provided a great platform for Asian actors to shine. The one formula that catalysed this change is colour-blind casting.Ĭolour-blind casting is a practice where talent is cast regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender. Hollywood's recent focus on inclusivity helped increase South Asian representation, especially in period dramas and fantasy series, where finding South Asians was next to impossible before. Most of the time actors not of South Asian origin played Indian roles such as Max Minghella in The Social Network or Chiwetel Ejiofor in The Martian. When Parvati and Padma Patil showed up in the ballroom wearing Ghagras in Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire, it was a major moment for South Asian representation. However, in the case of biopics or book adaptations, finding South Asians had been next to impossible. Netflix's coming-of-age show Never Have I Ever emerged as a pathbreaker by casting a South Asian teenager as its lead, also garnering global viewership. South Asian-origin actors Dev Patel and Riz Ahmed are reigning as lead actors and secured Oscar nods. Regardless, we have come a long way from Apu. For example, Hollywood movies often show Mumbai's slums and poverty but not its skyscrapers and monuments. It is important for filmmakers to remember that India is not all marigold flowers and slums, it is often home to picturesque locations and technologically advanced cities. Yet, the country and the culture is often misrepresented in mainstream media. Moreover, though Indians comprise one-fifth of the world's population. Nevertheless, Indian roles in sitcoms gained a broader reach and significantly contributed to showcasing the Indian diaspora, such as Mindy Kaling in The Office, Kunal Nayyar in The Big Bang Theory, and Aziz Ansari in Parks and Recreation. Just as Trevor Noah once said, “Indians can never play villains,” comedic roles became Indian actors' forté. Most of the South Asians who are big names in Hollywood are in the field of comedy. Though these professions are way better than snake charmers or hot yoga teachers, confining brown talent to a particular box is disheartening and humiliating.Īlso, the increase in the number of brown actors led to a new stereotype altogether, as funny guys. However, brown actors are often stereotyped and are confined to the roles of Shopkeepers, IT guys, or doctors. There came movies like Harold and Kumar, a film franchise to have an Indian name in its title, The Pink Panther 2, which had an Indian antagonist, and a few other notable films with South Asian leads. As years passed, Indian representation in Hollywood increased gradually with increased viewership, with many South Asian-Americans and Bollywood celebrities starring in films and TV. Voiced by an actor who isn't even Indian, Apu was in many ways a demeaning, belittling representation of Indians. In Hollywood, for decades, the only South Asian representation we knew of was the character Apu from The Simpsons.
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