11 Actors Of Indian Origin Showcasing India’s Diversity On Foreign TV Shows
Niharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... read full bio
The portrayal of Indians has come a long way since we were voiced/acted by white men (here’s looking at you, Hank Azaria, and Ashton Kutcher). It’s no secret that Western media used to be quite racist in its portrayal of Indians. They used to stereotype us as religious vegetarians who only cared about good grades and success, along with other more racist depictions. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that we’ve come a long way from Apu from The Simpsons. Of course, some stereotypes will always be pushed onto brown Asian folks, but things have improved by quite a bit. Over the past two decades, we’ve gotten to see incredible examples of strong, powerful, and intelligent Indian characters on Western shows, and here are eleven of our personal favorites:
1. Kunal Nayyar As Raj Koothrappali In The Big Bang Theory
We all grew up watching the awkward yet lovable Rajesh Koothrappali on the show The Big Bang Theory. Kunal Nayyar played the character to a tee and made us all fall in love with his quirky personality. Before he chose to become an actor, Kunal grew up in India, in New Delhi (similar to his character), and later moved to Portland, Oregon, to pursue a degree in Finance.
2. Priyanka Chopra As Alex Parrish In Quantico
Priyanka is a megastar whether she is in India or the US, but her debut on American TV was through the show Quantico. Priyanka took Americans by storm when she acted as the gorgeous, intelligent, and highly skilled Alex Parrish on the show. Ever since then, she’s been a significant figure on the Hollywood scene and even starred in the reboot of Baywatch.
3. Aziz Ansari As Tom Haverford In Parks And Recreation
Not only has Aziz Ansari been a regular and integral part of Parks & Recreation, but he’s also written and starred in his own stand-up show, Master of None. Aziz is a stand-up comic and has acted in quite a few American TV shows, and we can’t have enough of him!
4. Danny Pudi As Abed Nadir In Community
Community is a popular and much-loved American sitcom that boasts of a super lowkey but magnificent cast. We can not mention the character of Abed Nadir, played by Danny Pudi, and his hilarious antics. The quirky, matter-of-fact character is an essential member of the cast, and we absolutely love him!
5. Indira Verma As Ellaria Sand In Game Of Thrones
Indira Verma played the savage, intelligent, and highly adventurous (in bed) paramour of everyone’s favorite character, Oberyn Martell. Although their time on the show was short (no spoilers here), we have to say that we absolutely adored the two together! Indira’s character was passionate and sly, and we loved that about her.
6. Naveen Andrews As Sayid Jarrah In Lost
You probably remember Naveen Andrews from his role in Pride And Prejudice, but he has also played the role of Sayid Jarrah on the American TV show Lost. Lost has won plenty of awards, and Naveen’s character has been praised for his resourcefulness and intelligence on the show.
7. Hannah Simone As Cece Parekh In New Girl
Hannah Simone was born to a German-Italian mother and an Indian father and has won praise for her role as Cece Parekh in New Girl. The super hot and feisty actress, model, and VJ has one of the most memorable faces on TV, and we love to see her character live her best life on the show.
8. Sendhil Ramamurthy As Mohinder Suresh In Heroes
As part of the recurring cast on the show Heroes, Sendhil has impressed people with his acting prowess for years now. He has also appeared in the popular American show, The Office, and Netflix’s Never Have I Ever. We adore his charm and charismatic persona!
9. Noureen Dewulf As Lacey In Anger Management
Who can forget the ditzy Lacey from Anger Management? Although the show was short-lived, we had to say that the character of Lacey was clearly written for her, and we adore her quirky, ditzy, and hilarious antics on the show!
10. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan As Devi Vishwakumar In Never Have I Ever
Never Have I Ever is a fresh new show about being a Gen Z Indian-American and features Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as the 16-year-old Devi. It’s a coming-of-age show and covers many cultural dynamics of what it means to be a South Indian. It also deals with loss and many more topics. We love how honest, smart, and refreshing this show is!
11. Rizwan Manji As Ray Butani In Schitt’s Creek
How can we end this list without mentioning Rizwan Manji? We’ve seen him start in Hollywood films like The Dictator, other TV shows like Outsourced, and more. In Schitt’s Creek, Rizwan plays the role of Ray Butani, a real estate agent of Indian origin. The Canadian-Indian actor has established himself as a funny man in Hollywood.
It’s incredible to see such excellent Desi representation and great to see how far we’ve come from the many racist depictions of us. Whether you are an NRI or an Indian living here, we guarantee that you can relate to at least one of the characters on this list! Please tell us which one is your favorite in the comment section below!
