If I were to ask you to name Western films with a South Asian protagonist, what could you name? Bend it like Beckham? Slumdog Millionaire? Life of Pi?
Although South Asian representation in Western cinema has evolved significantly over the decades, the same story is still being retold. South Asians are nerds, or they work in call centres, or they own shops. They all speak with funny accents and smell like curry – South Asians are undesirable and uncool.
Geographically, South Asia includes the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
However, the media often uses ‘South Asia’ as a lazy umbrella term – more often than not, they are just referring to India or Pakistan, yet bundle all the countries together.
These countries have rich cultures, languages, religions, and histories that are often overlooked when portrayed in cinema.
A 2021 report by the University of Southern California confirmed suspicions, revealing that between the years of 2017 and 2019, Asians and Pacific Islanders made up a mere 5.9% of all speaking characters across top-grossing films.
Early depictions have presented South Asians as ‘exotic’ or even as being backward societies – particularly animated films like The Jungle Book (1967) and Aladdin (1992) reaffirm colonial ideals and implement these stereotypes from young ages.
The term ‘patanking’ was coined by Indian-American actor Sakina Jaffrey. It refers to the stereotypical and generalised accent used for Desi characters in Western cinema.
Making fun of, most commonly, Indian accents is an aggression many South Asians have endured throughout their lifetime.
This accent in film combines hundreds of languages, dialects and individual accents into one demeaning voice.
It is most commonly assigned to ‘goofy’ characters, which indirectly encourages audiences not to take these accents seriously—an act that is extremely damaging.
Another issue is when South Asian characters are given the opportunity to be the main love interest, they are often coupled with a white person. Statistically speaking, interracial marriages in the UK between South Asians and White Britons are very low. It almost feels in order for South Asians to be palatable to British and Western audiences, they have to be with a white person.
Filmmakers like Gurinder Chadha and Mira Nair began altering the narrative in the 1990s and early 2000s. Mississippi Masala and Bend It Like Beckham see Desi characters socialising in Western societies with real, intricate stories. Bend It especially explores these complexities, discussing the epitome of British-Indian culture and the merging of Western and Eastern attitudes while allowing the characters to be more than their race.
Actors like Riz Ahmed, Dev Patel, and Mindy Kaling have assisted in changing attitudes, playing South Asian characters who have substantial storylines.
Patel took the film industry by storm this year with his directorial debut, Money Man. It was a dynamic action film which discussed the complexities of a strong Indian protagonist. It has been groundbreaking within the Western action industry, breaking stereotypical barriers.
Patel has spoken out about his motivations behind creating Monkey Man, telling BBC Asian Network: “As a huge fan of the genre, I was so frustrated not to be represented.
“There was nothing in between that represented my existence, my identity, my duality of culture.
“When I started writing this, the only roles I was getting offered were to be the comedy sidekick or the guy that hacks the [computer] mainframe for the big, cool guy.
“That film was the first time I really got to be soulful on camera.”
The discourse is more prevalent than ever and we hope to see more South Asian actors being given the opportunity to play characters with meaning and depth.
Other films to note which have featured prominent South Asian protagonists include Joyland, Land of Gold, and Polite Society.
Baby steps have also been taken with industry awards; this year’s Cannes Film Festival saw the first ever female Indian filmmaker in competition for the prestigious Palme d’Or – Payal Kapadia with All We Imagine as Light.
Related: All the women up for the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2024
Of course, it is important to note Bollywood, also known as Hindi cinema. However, this industry is based in Mumbai and so only covers narratives based in India and is primarily distributed within India. Hollywood and British cinema are yet to frequently and fairly feature those of Desi heritage. One would hope the positive reception and success of RRR, going all the way to the Oscars just last year, would encourage Western cinema to recognise and consider this more.
Transitioning to more nuanced and meaningful depictions of South Asians is still a journey to be taken. There is an increasing demand for characters with stories that reflect the true diversity of the South Asian experience. It has been a terribly long journey, but the discourse is looking hopeful.
