Report: Closing The Southeast Asian Television Gap
Iko Uwais - Wu Assassins/Netflix
On-screen representation is on the rise in the media industry. Unfortunately, the progress being made is calculated through a very widespread system. In the United States specifically, although filled with a variety of diverse populations, the industry must constantly be fully committed to shifting the on-screen representation to reflect diverse cultures and perspectives. Half-hearted efforts are not going to instigate change anytime soon. The entertainment industry and mainstream media as a whole have completely changed in recent years due to the rise of social media. People of all groups want to turn on the television, go to the movies or click on their social applications and see themselves represented.
Our world designates people into certain categories disregarding the characteristics that make them individuals such as Black, White, Asian, etc. According to Nielson, their research found that “In the 2020-2021 TV season, for example, on-screen Asian and Pacific Islander talent had a 2.9% of the screen across broadcast television. People who identify as Southeast Asian, however, saw far less of themselves when they tuned in.” That being said, there is a rise in the representation of South Asians with the success of films and television shows such as Marvel’s Shang Chi and Netflix’s Squid Game. Neilson recorded that South Asian men have risen to 2.3% while South Asian women are at only .03%.
It must be said that representation needs to be culturally accurate. Stereotypical characters on screen do not help the case for increased representation, they only worsen the chances for change. If those are the only types of characters audiences watch/relate to, there will be a halt in the progress. According to Neilson, the number one genres most inclusive for South Asians are news and reality television. Themes that seek to tear down the stereotypes set up by years of misrepresentation are usually found in authentic depictions of day-to-day life. ‘In Marvel’s newest installment The Eternals, the superhero Kingo was depicted as a Bollywood star. Unfortunately, the critics said that the dance sequences were outdated and should not have featured English lyrics.’
Another key way to guarantee real and accurate series/features is to make way for those other than actors such as writers and directors who associate with such an identity. ‘Urvashi Pathania, who won the 2021 APA Visionaries Short Film Competition for her film Unmothered, said “I decided to make this film because I didn’t want to play into the South Asian stereotypes. So often, South Asian diaspora films portraying India can veer on poverty porn and I didn’t want to tell a story that didn’t feel authentically mine.”’
By putting the story in the hands of those who identify with these groups, the entertainment and media industry will change for the better. ‘Casting director, producer, and podcast host Keertana Sastry said it best when talking about ‘how diversity and authenticity can be accurately portrayed by simply casting South Asian/Asian/BIPOC people for roles. In that way, she says you’re simply “adding a cultural lens without really having to bring it up. Automatically, you are telling a story that becomes universally relatable, because specificity is relatable.”’
Overall, in order to tell captivating stories, characters must be well-rounded and deep. Unfortunately, these stories will not be achieved unless the representation is able to depict the rich cultures that so many people have.
