Navi Rawat and Noureen DeWulf are on the cover of the August-September 2005 issue of Audrey, the Asian-American women’s mag. My dream in life is to squeeze into the gap on the cover. Here’s the blurb:
‘Bollywood to Hollywood’: Indians & Indian Americans, like our cover girls Noureen DeWulf (left) and Navi Rawat, are poised to hit mainstream USA.
The story covers Shaista Usta, a Turkish and desi actress who starred in a recent Dev Anand movie, as well as the usual suspects (Gurinder Chadha, Gitesh Pandya). Rawat explains the numb3rs: looking unplaceably ethnic is far more useful in Hollywood than looking desi. On the other hand, Pandya says he’s happy that after 9/11, there are lots of roles for desis playing terrorists.
DeWulf talks about playing a Palestinian in West Bank Story, a film which played Sundance, and being of Indian Muslim origin. She’ll play ‘PooPoo’ with a desi accent in National Lampoon’s Pledge This. She’s also in American Dreamz, an upcoming movie with an intriguing cast: it includes John Cho (Harold and Kumar) and Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog). Guess what she plays? No, really, take a wild guess.
Hollywood producers of the black comedy American Dreamz are reconsidering the script after the London attacks because it involves suicide bombers attempting to assassinate the American president. The film, starring Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid and Willem Dafoe, features a group of Pakistani terrorists, who target a mentally frail president played by Quaid… The script has been written by Paul Weitz, who previously worked with Grant on the adaptation of Nick Hornby’s About A Boy. [Link]
Marcia Gay Harden plays the First Lady while the supporting cast finds room for the likes of Chris Klein, Richard Dreyfuss and Willem Dafoe. [Link]
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Aghdashloo, the throaty-voiced Iranian-American GMILF who was so good in Sand and Fog, is also playing Dr. Kavita Rao in X-Men 3:
… she’s been cast by Ratner and co. as Dr Kavita Rao. This is the woman who, in recent X-Lore, created the Hope serum, which tried to ‘cure’ a mutant of their powers. It obviously set up a huge ethical and moral dilemma among the mutant community, and didn’t go down well with Hank McCoy, or The Beast as he is perhaps better known (this role has been filled by Kelsey Grammer). [Link]
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p>Playing six degrees of Johnny Lever, we find that Rawat and Aghdashloo were both in Sand and Fog, Rawat playing Aghdashloo’s Iranian daughter (and for that matter, Sir Krishna Kingsley playing the father). Now Aghdashloo is repaying the compliment.
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p>And so the circle is complete.
Previous posts on Rawat: 1, 2, 3; and DeWulf.
The moot point, ofcourse, is why were you reading the Asian-American women’s mag, Manish?
To paraphrase Willie Sutton, ‘Because that’s where the Asian-American women are’ 😉
I like the little circle Manish, nicely done.
A good mate of mine edits the UK’s no.1 Asian woman’s mag so I keep up to speed with these sort of things. Could the Audrey team not have come up with a cover head more imaginative than ‘Bollywood to Hollywood’? You’re an Asian publication, don’t go for the easy option.
Hadn’t heard of this DeWulf girl before, a bit of research into her role in Paris Hilton’s latest flick is depressing reading (Sanagarvarapoopoo Gandosimi). I re-read the old thread you linked to Manish and once again I find myself in agreement with Punjabi Boy – any actor who takes a stupid bud bud FOB character role these days is either desperate or lame. Zzzzzzzzzz
It is depressing to see Noureen DeWulf’s career go from Sundance to the role of PooPoo…
Never would have guessed the actress from numb3rs had de5i blood.
So many Euro-desis running around, I am glad that most of the ones around today don’t seem to be ashamed of their brown side.
Why the GMILF snark? I just noticed it.
Aghdashloo is a right fit young ‘un, innit?
She’s 53.
GILF
(Don’t worry, safe for work)
As the writer of the Audrey Article, I agree, the headline sucked — my idea was something about South Asians Invading Hollywood, but the editor thought it was a bit too intense sounding. 🙂
I think it’s really interesting that unless you know the article is about South Asians, you wouldn’t really guess those girls on the cover were Desi. I felt a real mix of ecitement and sadness while writing the article — thinking that we’ve come so far only to have a character like PooPoo play it up for some Paris Hilton vehicle. Yet, I dug DeWulf’s determination and pride in her Indian Muslim hertiage.
BTW, Sepia Mutiny rocks.
It does indeed. I say something about the mag and then bam the author of the article appears! Tell Mr Ryu (or whomever you refer to) to go for the controversy next time! Intense sells!
What? shocked expression!
Here’s to you Mrs. Aghdashloo…Ooo Ooo Ooo
Aghdashloo, Aghdashloo … there is a limerick with dum aloo and chicken vindaloo waiting to happen
Johnny Lever…..the most hilarious Indian comedian i have ever heard.
As a kid in the early 80’s i remember listening to his stuff on audio cassettes, and then saw a couple of his live shows at Metro in Bombay.
Does anyone know where, when he performs in the US ??
Would love to see his show again.
like WHO THE f**k CARES? this is as bad as the time of india’s constant obsession with desis in the US, however pointless the story may be. seriously, get a life. 🙂
you wouldn’t really guess those girls on the cover were Desi
Noureen looks very Indian to me. Rawat does not look that desi, but then shes half German so obviously she looks a little different.
How strange, you seemed like quite the film fan.
zing!
Why is a half-german and half-desi person considered, Desi??? why not German ?? May be because Europeans are pure race??
I see the same thing with african americans. If even 1/8th of the ethnicity is African, that person is classified by the society as “African American”… (Halle Barry is considered African American !!! )
Its kind of like a glass of milk had a drop of ink drop into it and it doesnt remain “milk” anymore. It loses its “purity”…. ?????
Who exactly do you think denies her various heritages, society at large? Not me. A lot of it is also self-defined– Vijay Singh says he’s Fijian, not Indian, so be it.
RC, would you drink milk with a drop of ink in it?
isn’t that cocoa?
Sanagarvarapoopoo Gandosimi, Nahasapeemapetilon…
Whats with the tongue-twisting names for the Indian-origin characters? I know some Indian names can be a challenge to pronounce but these don’t even sound like real Indian names.
On an unrelated note – just saw ‘The Island’ and there was a gora character called “Gandu Three Echo“. 🙂
As someone living in the UK it’s interesting for me to see the different cultural dynamics between the UK and the US in terms of the portrayal of Indians (or South Asians in general). I know I’m repeating Punjabi Boy’s concerns in the older thread, but I can’t even imagine Indians being depicted in the British media these days as “Apu” (or indeed “Poo-Poo”) allegedly-comical caricatures. That particular offensive gremlin was dead and buried over here about 15-20 years ago, especially as during the last 10 years Indians have somehow ended up becoming viewed as “cool” in mainstream culture here — due to multiple factors (music, food, Goodness Gracious Me etc). Well, at least until desis-from-a-neighbouring-country started blowing their fellow Brits up on the train.
The “Poo-Poo” name is a good K3G-related in-joke for the global Indian diaspora. Unfortunately, nobody else will get it.
However, I have noticed an increasing tendency for Indian-origin characters to crop up in some US dramas as doctors these days (ER being the obvious one, along with Alias, Smallville, etc) — something of a stereotype, but at least it’s a very positive one.
Showing Indian actresses as “hot” isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as long as it isn’t some kind of Kama Sutra-obsessed sari-dropping depiction.
Again, I think in some ways the dynamics are quite different, as South Asians are the biggest non-white ethnic group in our somewhat-crowded island this side of the Atlantic. It’s still good to see Indians being successful in high-profile US films and television shows (although not the FOB-unpronouncable-name cliche).
It really depends on how the individual chooses to identify. Some mixed-race people change the way they identify given any situation, some are hard and fast to one side of their ethnic makeup, and some simply identify as mixed.
The One Drop Rule, you mention is not a way of ethnic identification but was a rule/law from before the civil war to keep the white race “pure”. If a person had one drop of black blood (1/8th, octaroon, etc) they were considered fully black and thus unfit to consider themself white. White people started this concept to keep the walls up around them, it was not something POC chose to lump themselves all together and up the numbers…
I think it’s simpler than any of the one drop rule business.
Nobody is going to think I’m white when they look at me, so why would I identify myself as English? So it wouldn’t make sense for Rawat to define herself as German. That’s not to say she shouldn’t celebrate her German heritage. I define myself as British, that makes things much easier. No hyphen. No suffix.
Yeah Jai, having watched a lot of the productions coming out of America I’m very glad I live in the UK. Although which Smallville character was Indian? Smallville’s my one guilty secret that belies the erudite persona I like to effect. I can feign interest in Wittgenstein and Aristotle, but all I really want to do is ogle Kristin Kreuk and wait for Clark to fly.
One word in defence of Apu. Yeah sure his name is daft and he’s got a stereotypical FOB job. But he is a three dimensional person. ALL the Simpsons characters are stereotypical – that’s the point. It’s microcosm of a typical American town. But Apu is more than just a bud bud head nodder.
He graduated first in his massive class in India in computer science and has a PhD – yet is forced to work in the Kwik-E-Mart as that’s all he’s offered as an immigrant.
He works tirelessly 23 hours a day to support his family and asks for no recompense. He has been shot so many times that the penalty is now just $100.
He is far more knowledgeable about American history than any of the native Springfielders, shown in the episode with a Civil War reconstruction and where Apu pledges his allegiance.
He continually puts up with jibes at his religion by turning the other cheek or trying to educate people about Hinduism. The jibes come from Americans, he doesn’t insult their faith. He also sticks to being a vegan despite temptation.
He is an integral member of the Springfield ensemble cast and a loyal friend of Homer and co.
Despite the trend of many Indian Americans to angrezify their names, all of Apu’s children have bona fide Indian names such as Anoop, Priya, Shashi etc.
Apu isn’t a harmful stereotype. As usual, the Simpsons has achieved so much more through subverting the stereotype as opposed to just including a token brown face who’s like everyone else.
Apu Nahasepeemapetilon is great.
DesiDancer, What is a POC? I think your above statement explains it preety good.
If white people want to continue the “MYTH” of their being PURE why should others contribute to it ??? Why should desis contribute to it ???
I am no one to tell Navi Rawat which heritage she should keep.
But by calling a half desi person Desi we perpetuate the “WHITE SUPREMACY MYTH” which in my opinion is not healthy for a multicultural society.
PLS dont get me wrong. I am not suggesting to create a mixed group for people with multiple heritage. I would LOVE everyone to identify themselves to be DESI (the more the merrier) but lets have the people decide first which heritage they want to associate to.
Some movie star (in 1940s or 50s) hid her identity of being part-desi in Hollywood and that was somehow important ???? Why ??? Why shouldnt she be called white ??
Apu isn’t a harmful stereotype.
You’ve got to be kidding. Spend a few months in the US and you will never say that again.
sorry– person/people of color.
I can’t speak for Nawat per se, but it could perhaps be a lot of what BB said; she doesn’t look that “white” and maybe doesn’t feel that close to her germanic culture. It could be that she tried to go under the radar as an actress but was too “other” to be cast in mainstream roles. Maybe she figured if you can’t beat’em, join’em and started working the brown power…
I guess it depends on personal experience. I’m more of the “I’m both, yet neither” mindset. I’m Indian enough that the elders like me… but they probably talk smack about me behind my back. Like BB, I’m “American”… and I’m just me. (definition subject to change on whim and contingent on weather)
A couple of times they had a semi-recurring female doctor in Smallville’s hospital who was obviously Indian, although you only really saw her face very briefly while she was talking to Clark/Lex/etc.
With regards to Apu, I know what you mean about how it’s actually subtly subverting the stereotype (you seem to know a shocking amount about him laughing) — I’m aware of how he’s supposed to be ridiculously highly-educated, hard-working etc, although the one trait which really sticks in my mind was when a couple of episodes showed him to be an ultra-romantic studly “ideal husband”, in comparison with Homer’s incompetence. Quite a nice touch, I thought.
Kal Penn’s character in Van Wilder started off in a very similar vein — same stupid accent etc — although they really turned that on its head when he’s been “interviewed” by the hero and suddenly – and completely unexpectedly – starts going on – and on, and on – about his dream to “go south of the border” (so to speak). That really did make me laugh my head off. Cleverly done, and again, quite subversive.
However, since you also live here in the UK and have probably faced the same racist stupidity as the rest of us from people when you were growing up, I’m sure you can understand how Apu’s “surface persona” (and most of all how he talks) could be offensive to many Indians, both here and in the US. Most of us have been on the receiving end of jokes based on that kind of thing while growing up.
Apu aside (at least for those viewers who see the show regularly enough to know about the “real deal” behind his cliched facade), the US really does seem to be shockingly behind the UK in its depiction of Indians. It’s often like watching offensive material that was last broadcast here almost 20 years ago (Jim Davidson, Bernard Manning etc).
With regards to Apu, I know what you mean about how it’s actually subtly subverting the stereotype (you seem to know a shocking amount about him laughing) — I’m aware of how he’s supposed to be ridiculously highly-educated, hard-working etc,
Indians dont have a stereotype in the US about being lazy so I am not sure what ‘stereotype’ is he subverting.
Lets took at the stereotypes Indians do have. – Funny accent – FOB – Working in a ‘Kwik-E-Mart’.
All these stereotypes are nurtured and perpetuated by Apu.
Wikipedia says:
When Springfield became over-patriotic and took the name “Liberty-Ville”, Apu quickly caught on. He renamed his kids Lincoln, Freedom, Condoleezza, Coke, Pepsi, Manifest Destiny, Apple Pie, and Superman.
Superman Nahasepeemapetilon – now thats a name you don’t see everyday. 🙂
Let’s not forget cab drivers, talking too quickly, nerdy, socially inept, yoga, ashrams, turbans (not the Sikh kind), etc etc. Basically, the same stuff we went through here in the UK until about a decade ago.
There are certain stereotypes Indians here still have to deal with but — if Apu personifies the perception of the non-desi majority in the States — the cliche is a little different in the UK. Luckily the Goodness Gracious Me team did a huge amount to explode those preconceptions, but people still have inaccurate ideas (especially as many tend to assume that all South Asians are the same, regardless of religious affiliation or whether they’re from India, Pakistan etc).
Plus the huge North Indian — especially Punjabi — dominance of 2nd-generation British Indian culture, which of course affects how we all behave here and the manifestations of that culture. Hence no Apu-type long names etc, along with certain other things.
Not that I agree with the One Drop rule; I was simply pointing out what a lousy analogy it is.
That’s all; I just wanted to clear that up.
Why is it a lousy analogy. Didnt you see DesiDancer’s explanation, which is exactly points to a one drop rule. You can pretend that it doesnt exist and keep calling Halle Barry “Africn American” and perpetuate the “WHITE SUPREMACY myth”. (Well it wouldnt be myth for you now, would it?)
I kind of see where you’re coming from RC, but I guess the bottom line is that I really don’t give a toss. If someone calls me Indian, half-caste, PoC, hapa, stupid irritating short gay smelly fuckwit cock knocker, it doesn’t really bother me. I swear people spend too long thinking about their ‘identities’ and whatnot.
Al Mujahid – fair point. I don’t live in the States, in fact I’m very lucky in where I live; I have not had to suffer much prejudice at all in London (pre-7/7!) I can understand how Apu could be used as fodder.
But that’s the way the Simpsons works, EVERY character is as stereotyped as they can be, and bear in mind they were created over 10 years ago, it’s admirable there’s an Indian character at all.
Apu – Stereotypical Indian convenience store clerk. Bumblebee Man – Stereotypical Mexican. Krusty and Dad – HILARIOUSLY stereotypical Jews. Ned – Stereotypical middle American bible basher. Dr Nick – Stereotypical hispanic slacker. Karl – Stereotypical black guy, manual labourer and great at basketball. Comic Book Guy – Stereotypical nerd. Otto – Stereotypical stoner. Barney – Stereotypical alcoholic.
The list goes on. But I started with the ‘ethnic’ characters. On the surface the show looks very shallow. But all those characters (with the exception of the Bumblebee Guy) are realistic, developed people. Take the episode where Quimby introduces Proposal 24 – scapegoating immigrants for all the wrongs in Springfield (Much Apu About Nothing, series 3 episode 20). Apu becomes a victim of overt racism in a clear satire of California’s Proposition 187. It’s a very politcally charged episode strongly criticising the scapegoating of immigrants and highlighting Homer’s willingness to go along with the propaganda, as an average American.
If the Simpsons had chucked in an Indian doctor/IT technician/accountant (which weren’t so numerous back in ’92) with no Indian characteristics, it would’ve been a non-character. All of the characters are defined by their stereoptypical tendencies and the humour in that, of course with no greater example than Homer – stereotypical American: selfish but with a pure heart, loves his family, easily swayed, horrendously fat and outrageously dumb. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
Americans have far more personal experience with Homer types, Latinos, nerds, stoners and alcoholics than desis in the U.S. In a data-poor environment, the perception becomes the reality.
Putting up with stereotypical characterization is walking a thin lineÂ…Â…Â…
Literature is full of stereotypes. The classic one being “Shylock” in Merchants of Venice. It does show ShakespeareÂ’s prejudices and the times he lived in.
If it becomes derogatory, then it should be opposed vehemently. I was at a party and this drunken kid would not shut up about “Apu”. He would mimic Apu and then laugh by himself for another 3 minutes. It was pretty bad. I think some of the ones used in USA are not done in playful way and are in bad taste.
However, I have always enjoyed Peter Sellers take on stereotypes. He would put a lot of effort in it. Typically, Germans (the ones I know) enjoy Indiana Jones movies too – I guess they know that they are really much more than that. It all matter of how they are done. I saw one of the Indiana Jones movie with a German friend of mine and man, he had fun. He discussed the fine points of the movie for a week.
Kush
PS: I have only enjoyed Johnny Lever in one of his earliest movies “Jalwa”. Since, then he is a one-act pony.
Have you guys seen Chinese sterotypes in John Wayne’s movies? It is horrible and tasteless – cardbaord like.
Two points: 1) How was the seterotype made – 1D vs. 3D characterization?, 2) If as a group, you are sure of yourself it would never bother you. Do you think French care about what anyone else thinks about them?
I was watching Q&A on C-Span (Yes, I know I have no life :-)) and Brian Lamb, who is actually one of the founders of the channel, had a Q&A with two of his staff. One of them was Indian. In talking to the Indian guy Brian Lamb asked questions that showed him to be completely ill-informed about India. And I think Brian is a reasonably smart guy. So imagine what would be the sitaution of a regular Joe?
I think some enterprising Indians over there need to get together and produce an American version of “Goodness Gracious Me”. The original British version basically took all the stereotypes and prejudicial images that had been perpetuated about South Asians by the mainstream media/population up until that point, and completely turned it all on its head. The fact that it was such an eye-opener from the perspective of the misinformed majority, whilst simultaneously being extremely funny (especially the first season) and therefore very successful indeed, did a hell of a lot to undermine the negative cliches about us all in the mainstream consciousness.
“Indians are funny ?!” “They don’t all work in corner shops ?!” “They don’t all have arranged marriages ?!” “The older generation don’t all speak like Apu/Peter Sellers ?!” The list goes on and on but you get my drift.
(Try to catch some of the episodes on DVD if any of you over in the US can find some — especially the “Going out for an English” restaurant-sketch in the very first episode of the first series, it’s incredibly astute, very funny indeed, and now regarded as being something of a classic. It’s quite outrageous if you’ve never seen it before).
Isn’t David Schwimmer producing/directing a new comedy show about a US-based Indian family ?
i was just reading your posts above about noureen dewulf. i didnt see it mentioned above but she is also starring in a pilot about an indian girl and white girl who are friends called Mindy and Brenda (she is Mindy). her role is really cool, smart, and funny. if the show gets “picked up” by the WB they will have tons of indian charachters-her family, boyfreinds, cousins… apparently if we write to the WB and say we want mindy and brenda to air it makes a huge difference.
I think we should all write to the WB and let them know that their indian demographic wants to see Mindy and Brenda go on tv.
their email address is: faces@talk.thewb.com
Here is their address: 4000 Warner Blvd, Bldg 34r, Burbank CA 91522 attn: viewer comment/WB’s Entertainment President David Janollari
Instead of just commenting on the roles that these actors play lets be proactive and help get a strong atypical role on tv for all of us!
Hello stinkers. See, you beautiful SM commenters have a significant impact on me…so much so that I wrote a little piece on one of the most famous Indians in the world (incorporating some of the above exchange). Take a look at this or this (same thing). Hope you like it 🙂
desi dancer- no offense but who are you to make a judgment calls on people who are multi racial? if navi rawat identifies with being indian…then what is it to you? and also, its a big achievment to score roles in hollywood being a woman of color and instead of hating you should be appreciating that someone is out there breaking the barriers for people like you!
main sub actor aur actress ko nangi dekhna chahti hoon