The international small screen is calling for Bollywood talent. From Priyanka Chopra, Nimrat Kaur and Tina Desai to veterans such as Anupam Kher and Shabana Azmi, Indian actors are starting to land plum roles in international TV shows. And they’re loving it.
After creating waves globally with her singing talent, former Miss World Chopra has crossed borders for American TV drama Quantico, where she plays the lead role.
She told Indian daily DNA that she told US network ABC, which had given her a development deal, that she wanted to do an “ethnically ambiguous part”.
“I didn’t want to do a big fat Indian Punjabi family, that’s so expected from a Bollywood actress. I had clearly told them that if you want to treat me like an actress and not a ‘Bollywood’ jewel, where am supposed to dance and do those things, then I am fine. Which is why the parts they chose for me and scripts I read were for characters that are ethnically ambiguous.”
After picking Quantico as her favourite out of 25 scripts, the role, which had been written as an all-American girl was “tweaked”.
“My ethnicity on the show is half Indian-half Caucasian,” said Chopra, who lived in the US during her high school years.
“It’s very scary, because I don’t know if the world is ready for an Indian protagonist.”
Azmi has come on board for British TV drama Capital; and Desai will be working in American drama series Sense8.
Actress Lillete Dubey, who has also worked in foreign films such as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and its sequel, has also jumped on the bandwagon by joining British drama series Indian Summers.
Kaur found prominence as a Pakistan ISI Agent in Homeland.
“The scope for Indian actors is widening everywhere in the world. The world is becoming a smaller place. Actors are nowadays preferring to work in different places,” Kaur, who first found global acclaim with the The Lunchbox, said.
Talking of Bollywood’s male gang, there’s Anil Kapoor, who has dubbed for a guest appearance for adult animation show Family Guy; while his close friend Kher will feature in Netflix’s series Sense8.
Life of Pi star Suraj Sharma was also part of Homeland; and Rahul Khanna played a Russian spy in US TV show The Americans.
Dubey says “actors look for work outside as they get to work with different people and grow as actors”.
“Actors want to see how they will work with people outside their country. With globalisation, I think people are more aware of actors’ body of work,” she said, adding that changing demographics are leading to a surge in the number of Indian actors in foreign shows.
“There are stories set in Britain and the US or any other country and Indians are a major part of demographics of many countries. So people feel that they should represent them as well. They can’t take non-Indian actors for such roles.
“Either the story and subject is set in India or they are based abroad, but represent [the] Indian population of that country,” Dubey, whose Indian Summers is a drama on the British colonial era, said.
But what’s interesting is that the storylines of these shows are not restricted to those about India, and instead, range from terrorism to suspense.
Chopra, who plays the role of an FBI trainee in Quantico, said: “As an entertainer and actor, I’m constantly looking for new challenges that push the boundaries of my creativity and talent. This is a whole new experience for me and something that I am looking forward to diving into.”
Kapoor, who has done a voice-over in the show that revolves around the Griffin family, has also been excited about his foreign TV stint, which comes after he featured in 24.
“Stepping into the world of Family Guy #SuperExcited to be a part of the lovably crazy Griffin family @FamilyGuyonFOX. Honoured to be a guest on #FamilyGuy Thank you Linda and Steve. @FOXTV @FamilyGuyonFOX,” Kapoor tweeted.
Likewise, Kher has called Sense8, a 12-episode suspense thriller series about the connection between eight people from eight different parts of the world “terrific”.
Desai, who has also worked in Hollywood film The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, is excited about Sense8 too.
“I’m just thrilled to be a part of such a fantastic show and look forward to audience reactions,” Desi said.
