The name is Raj
The cabbie or the geek — it seems there’s only two ways about it. While young Indian viewers are thrilled to see more and more Indian characters on Western television, the roles they are playing leave a lot to be desired.
TV shows and movies in an attempt to cater to a wider audience, are becoming more racially inclusive. But more often than not, the desi is typecast as the token Indian guy. Whether it’s Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the Indian American convenience store owner on The Simpsons, or Dr Rajesh Ramayan Koothrappali, the Delhi-born astrophysicist on The Big Bang Theory, the depiction of Indians in popular culture is in desperate need of a makeover.
Piya R, a PU student, points out, “On the one hand, you have the cab drivers and the convenience store owners who speak broken English and lapse into Hindi. On the other hand, you have the socially awkward nerd who’s a genius with computers.” These roles seem to have been inspired by two categories of Indians among the early immigrant population, but need to change with the times, she adds.
It’s flattering that the genius is often an Indian character, argues Sanjana Suresh, a PU student. “Whether it’s Raj in The Big Bang Theory, Dr Mohinder Suresh on Heroes or even the Indian scientist in 2012, it’s nice to be held in such high esteem,” she says. Another ‘Raj’ is the popular Archies comics character, a student with an avid interest in filmmaking and an expert on zero budget special effects (he builds his own models for science fiction movies).
The funny thing about these stereotypes is that the actors are usually American Indians playing the role of immigrants. Satish Rao, a PU student, points out, “The actors have a fake Indian accent and that is passed off as the way we speak. It’s sad to see them being offered only these caricaturised roles. Script writers need to look beyond a character’s colour to give him more depth.”
With this influx of Indian characters, there is perhaps one who does not play to the gallery. Thomas Haverford on Parks and Recreation is quite a realistic depiction of an American Indian. Unfortu-nately, the character’s real name is Darwish Sabir Ismael Gani, a name he ditches for the more American ‘Tom’.
So, Indian characters are always welcome, but a little sensitivity would be appreciated.
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