Close your eyes and picture the first thing that comes to your mind when I say the word Hollywood. It is probably a willowy blonde lady in a LBD. But times are changing and so is Hollywood’s preference for casting.
Indian, or should I say ‘Desi’, actors are no longer being type casted into the stereotypical roles of terrorists or the fresh-of-the-boat immigrant. Indian actors have some serious clout in Hollywood. Here are some of the frontrunners that are a particular favorite of mine.
Mindy Kaling:
Mindy Kaling is one of the most sought after comedy writer in US entertainment industry at present. With her own show, ‘The Mindy Project’, this writer, actor and director reportedly works 18-hours a day. This is especially remarkable given that Kaling is pregnant with her first child!
Source: Instagram
Hasan Minhaj:
From University of California, Davis to being the Senior Correspondent at the Daily Show, Minhaj’s stand-up comedy special ‘Homecoming King’ opened with great reviews. Minhaj is perfect brown-boy-next-door and is bound to change Hollywood for the better.
Freida Pinto:
With the success of Slum-dog Millionaire came fame and fortune for this Indian beauty. Since then Pinto has gone on to star in movies such as, ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’, staring in Bruno Mars music videos and is the supposed muse for Woody Allen.
Riz Ahmed:
Oh Riz Ahmed, you are the stuff of dreams! This British-Pakistani Rapper, actor and activist is a man of many talents. His notable roles include staring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘Nightcrawler’ and in the HBO miniseries ‘The Night Of’ for which he was received two Emmy nominations.
