This American television season-premiere week for some reason has been filled with an unprecedented number of desis. Not including the various desis already appearing as regulars on television series, the week began with Indira Varma on Rome, Toral on the apprentice, and relative newcomer Maulik Pancholy on the new Showtime series Weeds, which airs Monday’s at 10 pm. Pancholy, who was previously seen in Hitch, and appeared as various generic brown characters in a handful of sitcoms (including Jack and Jill and the hilarious Tracey Takes On), scored a recurring guest role on Weeds, which stars Mary-Louise Parker and Kevin Nealon. A bit early to say, but could Pancholy be the next Kal Penn?
Incidentally, Pancholy is starring in the off-Broadway play, India-Awaiting, which opens for previews on October 15, 2005 at the Samuel Beckett Theater.
See Manish’s previous post on Pancholy here.
Don’t forget CNN are devoting this week to India!
I’m sure I recall an irritating Londoner tipping y’all about that… 😉
Just watched the Apprentice! I usually find that show very hard to watch, given my background (I once worked for a financial firm before taking off to do my own thing, so immature political b.s. is best left behind me! In addition, I hate watching overly dramatic people make stupid, forseeable mistakes). But, my curiosity got the best of me. Toral was actually quite reasonable and even-tempered: she noted that bossy Melissa’s attitude would never work in the real world – quite true. However, she wasn’t focused on very much at all.
Thus, her comments on the show’s website were probably beefed up for ratings – they reminded me of typical 22 year old graduates’ naive expectations of the business jungle – “tiger” analogies and what not. ha ha. Major megalomania! Definitely didn’t match the character I saw today, and that’s a good thing.
Best of luck to her, but I think that’s the last episode I watch.
Note: Please, Toral Stalker or PR rep, whoever you are, try to stay away from this topic!
OMG. i choked on my nutella sandwich, this was so fucking funny.
“India Awaiting”– music by the imitiable Deep Singh….
in other desi-tv news, there is an indian, neha, on wheel of fortune today!
Who is this Mr. Cicatrix? Whereforth do you come from, knavish pretender! I alone am the torch-bearer for that particular flame. Mera dil, it goes dhak dhak for cica.
WEEDS – great fucking show, glad to see a desi in that one
I love WEEDS too cocopuffs. And yes, very happy to see an SA on a show dealing w/weed in the ‘burbs.
you forgot about the 2 idiots vying for the mtv reality show…
whohoo..
brownies are invading your TV sets.. are you ready :)?
I think there’s also a desi on the new NBC series Surface. He has a vaguely Naveen Andrews-ish look about him (longish hair, beard) and he plays the assistant to the mad scientist character played by Rade Serebedja. Tried to see his name in the closing credits, but they went by too fast. Next episode airs Monday night.
The guy on “Surface” is Shishir Kurup… he wrote the play “As Vishnu Dreams” which had its world premiere last yer at LA’s East West Players…
I love WEEDS and yes so excited to see a desi there. It really made me happy to see brown and green together!!!
nice… post keep it up