There has never been a week like this in American history…
Four second-generation South Asian American actors will be on primetime
television.
-
Oct. 6th, Friday, 9pm, Anjul Nigam as “Rahman” on SILVER STRAND on NBC
-
Oct. 10th, Tues, 10pm, Ravi Kapoor will be playing the part of Dr Sid
Shandar on ABC’s prestige new drama GIDEON’S CROSSING. -
Meera Simhan will be playing the recurring role of reporter Andrea
Bhutto on CBS’s new drama THE DISTRICT on Saturday nights at 10pm.
(She will also be appearing on six episodes of GIDEON’S CROSSING.) -
Oct. 12th, Thurs. at 10pm on NBC, Purva Bedi as medical student on ER
Details provided by the actors themselves…
Anjul Nigam stars as “Rahman” in SILVER STRAND
- When: Friday, October 6, 2000 at 9:00pm (double-check local listings)
- Where: NBC
- Director: George Miller
- Also starring: Gil Bellows (of Ally McBeal) and Nicollette Sheridan
Friday, October 6th at 9:00pm (double-check local listings) on NBC I
will appear as one of the leads in the Showtime feature SILVER STRAND, a
story of the young men who enroll in the strenuous and demanding Navy Seal
training program. Directed by George Miller and written by AN OFFICER AND
GENTLEMAN’s Douglas Day Stewart, my character, “Rahman”, is an endearing
sidekick to the lead character (played by Gil Bellows). We shot this in
Melbourne, Australia, and it originally aired on Showtime.
A couple of excerpts from reviews: “Nigam is a delight.” - Variety;
“Anjul Nigam truly shines as a jovial recruit from Bangladesh”- Movie
Guide
SOUTH ASIANS ON PRIME TIME TELEVISION
The first south asian series regular on a prime time medical show for
nearly twenty years? Yes it’s true! Ravi Kapoor will be playing the part
of Dr Sid Shandar on ABC’s prestige new drama GIDEON’S CROSSING.
The first episode will air without commercial interruption (that’s how
good it is) on Tuesday 10th of October at 10pm, before moving to it’s
regular time slot of Wednesday nights at 10pm the following week.
Critics pick in TIME, NEWSWEEK and the NEW YORK TIMES this is must see
t.v.
And there’s more!
Meera Simhan will be playing the recurring role of reporter Andrea
Bhutto on CBS’s new drama THE DISTRICT on Saturday nights at 10pm. To
begin with, look out for episodes 2 and 5. And if you like what you see
contact CBS dot.com to request more.
Meera will also be making an appearance on episode 6 of GIDEON’S
CROSSING opposite Ravi Kapoor playing an arranged date gone awry.
Save the date: the season premiere episode of E.R. featuring
Indian-American actress Purva Bedi as medical student, “Priya Shailendra,”
is on Thursday October 12th at 10pm on NBC.
Tune in and Write in! Support E.R.'s choice to increase diversity by
watching the episode. Then write in to [email protected] expressing your
enthusiasm at their choice in casting a South-Asian as a doctor.
The reality is that you can’t walk into an urban hospital today without
seeing a South-Asian doctor. Yet South-Asians are a rare sight on
medical television dramas. Instead, South-Asians are portrayed in
Hollywood in the stereotypical roles of cab drivers and 7-11 owners with
thick accents. It’s time for a change.
Here’s the deal: as of yet, we don’t know if Purva Bedi will appear in
any more episodes of E.R. It could be a one shot appearance. But if the
producers get a clear message from their viewers that we support seeing
South-Asian doctors on television, it can help bring her back to the show
and other South-Asian actors into the mainstream media.
So watch the episode on October 12 and write to the producers at
[email protected]. The e-mails do indeed reach the right executives and it is in
our hands to change the face of Hollywood: to get more Indian-Americans on
television playing non-stereotypical roles with positive images.
Some sample letters follow : feel free to cut and paste and e-mail it
to [email protected]. And please forward this e-mail to anyone and everyone
you know: ER viewers of all ethnicities.
Sample letters for [email protected]
Dear ER,
I wanted to write in to support your decision to cast Purva Bedi as a
medical student on ER. Congratulations for portraying Indian-Americans
in a positive light and for promoting ethnic actors in non-stereotypical
roles. I support your show and your choice to take the risks that most
television programs are afraid of. I will keep watching your show and
look out for “Priya Shailendra” on upcoming episodes.
Dear ER Writers,
I was excited by your introduction of an Indian-American character on
your season premiere episode. It is encouraging to know that ER is
committed to diversity. I am a fan of ER and look forward to seeing more
of the Indian-American medical student, “Priya Shailendra” on your show
playing a key role with the other lead characters.
Dear ER Producers,
I saw Purva Bedi as an Indian medical student on the season premiere
episode of your show. I am glad to know that NBC is making an effort
to present the realities of urban American hospitals by portraying
Indians in the medical profession. I look forward to seeing more of
“Priya Shailendra” throughout the season. And I hope that her role grows
as the season progresses.
Dear ER,
I watched the season premiere of ER and was thrilled to see the South
Asian medical student played by Purva Bedi. It is high time we see
South-Asians in roles other than cab drivers. I look forward to seeing
more of her on your show this season and involved more deeply in the main
storyline.