Do You See Enough Desi Representation in the Mainstream Media? Yeah, We Don’t Either.

cant believe desi people were so deprived of representation in the media that we had to believe lilly singh was funny

— av💿 (@koogifs) January 1, 2021

Is misrepresentation better than no representation? Many believe it’s better to have representation than to not have it at all. Desi people are beautiful and diverse, we can’t be packaged as one person with the same stereotypes. Accurate portrayal needs authenticity, and misrepresentation results from the lack of knowledge in clothing, cuisine, language, and culture in general. Vast knowledge and understanding of these four elements prove to be game-changers.

   There have been many characters in Hollywood that represent Desi people, but they’ve been riddled with stereotypes. They are typically given a ridiculously inaccurate accent for comical relief. We’re relieved to know that these roles are changing, but there’s still a long way to go, as even our own Bollywood favors lightskinned North Indians in cinema. Their token “dark skin” actress is Deepika Padukone, who isn’t very dark at all.

According to a UN population dynamics report, eight million Indians live outside India. (population.un.org.) That’s a substantial population that needs representation in the mainstream media. The sense of normality in belonging to their new home is snatched by many stereotypes portrayed by characters on screen. The same story being played over and over again like a broken record about South Asians in Hollywood is destructive to everyone, not just South Asians. South Asians, Sri Lankans, and Fijians are often compared to Desis with fair skinned- descent, which often leaves them out of the picture entirely. Our people need to feel seen and shown love for who they are. Correct representation needs to be on the rise. 

if @priyankachopra & Dev Patel were in this pic, it would basically consist of 90% of desi representation in Hollywood… https://t.co/8k2h0BaHPI

— Riana (@rianasingh_) May 2, 2017

The best way? PUT US IN YOUR MOVIES AND SHOWS! 

The lead actress Simone Ashley, a Tamil British and American actress, has broken many stereotypes in one of the most popular and most-watched series in 2022. Her character portrays a sophisticated, independent, educated Indian woman named Kate Sharma, who is unmarried. Kate’s character has real depth, and many of us feel that we are finally beautifully represented. In Shondaland production’s season two of Bridgerton, Chris Van Dusen represented Kate Sharma’s character appropriately and cast the actress Simone Ashley to play the character. In Bridgerton, Miss. Sharma drinks chai with cardamom and cloves that she brought on her trip to England from India. This is a beautiful representation of Indian culture, as chai with these two ingredients is consumed daily by most of India.

Simone Ashley moved from the UK to the US when she was in her early teen years in hopes of becoming an actress. She played many minimal roles before Netflix’s Sex Education, and she didn’t become a star overnight, but she sure as hell feels that way after the release of Bridgerton S2 on Netflix. Simone Ashley executed the character of Kate Sharma perfectly and brought confidence to young Desi women in the West who yearned to see themselves on the big screen. She had a vision and brought it to life while changing the lives of many young Desi women.

The dressing sense of Indian characters in Hollywood is commonly misrepresented. 

Clothing is a vital piece of our culture and heritage. To represent a character from another country, it’s essential to convey the clothing to confirm its authenticity and relate to the audience through costume. In Sex Education, Simone Ashley’s character wears bright colours and funky patterns. This clothing detail sparks an idea of what young brown females find fashionable. It’s an opportunity and a responsibility to send a message to the young desi audience about clothing trends in the West. 

i need better desi/astrophysicist representation in the media than freakin’ Raj from Big Bang theory 😒

— Dr. Sanjana Curtis! 🦦 (@sanjanacurtis) July 17, 2021

Select an actor with the language, heritage and understanding of the culture! There’s a difference between reaching the summit and getting close to it. Additionally, many agree that accents can either be “attractive” or “unattractive,” but this notion is rooted in white supremacy. Why are European accents considered “beautiful” while our accent is considered “funny”? Since Indian characters emerged in Western media, they have only used thick Indian accents even if their characters have British or American backgrounds. The Indian audience finds this distasteful simply because it’s inaccurate! It sets an assumption that all Indians have a heavy accent, ignites racism and makes you think that we aren’t capable of speaking good English. 

        From time to time, famous actors are given roles to play for their popularity and the income they can bring to that movie or show. A documentary by the comedian Hari Kondabolu, “The Problem With Apu”, is a perfect example of misrepresentation for profit. Hank Azaria, the voice behind Apu from the Simpsons, issued an apology to the Indian audience of the show and resigned from his role. His apology conveys that as much as it is about hard work, what matters is that the correct representation is chosen for the appropriate role; otherwise, it can be harmful for generations. 

Apu’s accent disapproved of Indian actors from using their authentic accents on screen. Kal Penn shared three photos on his Twitter of the scripts he was offered while starting his acting career in America, and Penn’s message sheds light on the unrealistic  expectations in Hollywood. After his tweet, many others opened up about their experiences with auditions for roles and the criticism they received. Sharing their experiences gave them a safe space to explain their stories. They found courage within, and realized standards of Indian characters in Hollywood need a change.

About the author: Puneet Bhullar-Sidhu is a writer based in Edmonton, Alberta. She’s obsessed with black coffee and enjoys working out, alongside listening to audiobooks about health/psychology. She’s also, like many of us, a stressful cleaner. Stress? = Cleaning.