Growing up, my parents never really cared what shows we watched, whether it was Hannah Montana, Good Luck Charlie, or Wizards of Waverly Place, my sister and I were TV show fanatics. However, as the years went on and Disney Channel grew as our favorite source of entertainment, there was only one Disney show that was off-limits in my house. The show was a series about a nanny of a famous family, called Jessie, which aired from 2011 to 2015. The show was loosely inspired by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s family dynamic of star parents with several adopted children. My older sister and I would occasionally try to watch parts of it in between other shows or watch clips on YouTube, but it was pretty much forbidden. Occasionally I would ask my parents if I could watch the sitcom, but like clockwork, they would repeatedly respond with, “It makes fun of our heritage.” As a 6-year-old, I didn’t really get it, but as I grew older, I began to understand. One of the main characters, Ravi, was an adopted son from India and was depicted as the “typical” nerdy and socially awkward “fresh off the boat” Indian kid. He had an exaggerated accent and often was a punchline and comedic relief outlet.
Ravi was played by actor Karan Brar, who ironically, had no accent at all and put one on for this role. While Ravi provided a level of representation of Indian culture, he was ridiculed and sued as the butt of the jokes and reinforced the harmful stereotype of South Asians being outsiders, and succumbed the character to his otherness and nothing else. In the early 2010s, South Asian characters were rare in Western television and film and when they were present, they were reduced to similar stereotypes as Ravi. They couldn’t be the popular or the athletic ones, and if they were, they were brought down by their “typical” and strict Indian family. This stigma reinforced one-dimensional perceptions of South Asian communities as a whole and had real-life implications through a screen.
A refreshing change during this era was the character Mo Banjaree, played by Naomi Scott, in Disney Channel’s Lemonade Mouth (2011). Mo was a well-rounded high school student who struggled to balance her cultural identity and familial discourses with her desire to follow her passions and talent. Lemonade Mouth did not delve deep into Mo’s cultural background, her character was extremely authentic and relatable to many cultures and didn’t use the backbone of a typical Indian character trope. She had romantic relationships, hopes, and dreams–essentially, a personality outside of her ethnicity. Her culture did not tie her down but rather provided an extra dimension to her character which helped aid her development that followed throughout the story.
Since that small step to a more accepting and respectful approach, representation in mainstream media has come a long way, and over the past two decades, representation has evolved from being stereotypical comedic relief to a nuanced and personal portrayal, like Mo’s story.
Today, the landscape of media has changed increasingly. Series like Never Have I Ever, Ms Marvel, Bridgerton, and Spin are all a part of enormous film companies and either have South Asian main characters and storylines or include healthy representation with no sign of mockery in sight. The characters in these series are complex, and relatable and can explore their culture without it being their whole personality and focus. These roles are extremely powerful and help young South Asians feel represented and seen through characters that empower them.
“Growing up as a Yoruba child, I feel like my representation in the media stemmed from Western shows, like Zendeya in Disney. I also feel like at the time, I couldn’t tell the difference between good and bad representation. I had just come to The United States and I wasn’t expecting much.” Said senior, Oluwakorede Feyisitan. “I want to see more inclusion and opportunity for women of color in the media. I feel like women of color are so capable and the lack of exposure they get to such opportunities is hindering the showcasing of their talents.”
While this progress is healthy and promising, the work is not done. Authentic representation means having South Asian actors work but also ensuring that the stories of their culture are told by those who understand the culture. It is imperative that Hollywood industries have more South Asian writers, directors, and producers to show narratives that reflect true and accurate stories. As media and stories continue to evolve, hopefully, representation will too. The progress made is a reflection of that but the journey is far from over.
