Are you even Indian if you don’t get excited when you see your fellow compatriot acting in non-desi productions? Probably not. It’s possibly because of the gross under-representation of people of colour in international media. But with Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone and Nargis Fakhri all being cast opposite Hollywood stars in big budget productions over the last few years, we’re starting to see attempts to rectify that.
Indian actors are slowly moving away from stereotypical roles and accents, into more cosmopolitan avatars. This year, we’ll be seeing desi actors in leading roles opposite some of Hollywood’s biggest names. Of course, Priyanka Chopra is at the helm of this gradual equalization. But this time, instead of a blockbuster franchise like Baywatch, PC will be staring in an indie film with Claire Danes and Jim Parsons. The film is called A Kid Like Jake and is set for a May release.
Priyanka and her world domination aside, Rajkummar Rao seems to be having a pretty stellar year as well. The actor is doing a movie with Demi Moore, Freida Pinto, Anupam Kher and Richa Chaddha. Love Sonia, is inspired by real-life events in the world of human trafficking. The drama is being directed by Tabreez Noorani, who is credited as producer on blockbuster hits Life of Pi and Slumdog Millionaire. So maybe we can hope to see Rao gracing some red carpets at international award ceremonies.
Quickly becoming one of the most sought-after actors around, Rao is also part of a Hollywood film with Nargis Fakhri and Bo Derek. That’s right, the former Bond bombshell has signed on for 5 Weddings. The movie also features Mariana Vicente, who represented Puerto Rico at the Miss Universe pageant in 2010 as well as Dawn Richard, an R&B singer-songwriter. 5 Weddings doesn’t just have a highly diverse cast, but also features a transgender in the storyline.
The three movies aren’t just inclusive of wide diaspora of ethnicities, but also address social issues and cultural diversities. It’s clear that 2018 is the year where we learn to embrace our differences, whether racial, cultural or gender-related.
