The Last Year Has Been Game Changing For Black & South Asian Representation In Entertainment

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In 1991, a young (and charming) Denzel Washington broke a colour barrier when he costarred in a mainstream onscreen romance with South Asian actor Sarita Choudhury in Mississippi Masala, a film promoting interracial relationships. Even though this type of representation between Black and South Asian entertainers in TV, music and film has been kind of lacking in the last thirty-something years, 2021 and 2022 have been booming with more collaborations between Black and Brown communities — leading to more diversity in TV, film, music and even commercials than ever before.

From music video bromances between Diamond Platnumz and Diljit Dosanjh to a vodka commercial celebrating a super lit Indian and Ghanaian wedding, these Black and South Asian media collaborations are real game changers for cultural representation.

'Never Have I Ever' doesn't shy away from interracial relationships

Let's start with our favourite doctors in Mindy Kaling's Never Have I Ever. Romantic love between Black men and South Asian women is rare to see on TV, but we get to witness a cute rom-com trope between Dr. Chris Jackson and Dr. Nalini Vishwakumar. From enemies to friends, to lovers and back to friends again, this slow burn is totally full of heat. Not only because Dr. Jackson is the one and only Common, but because both actors are doctors — now it makes sense why their chemistry is so strong!

We finally see ethnic minorities thriving professionally side-by-side, rather than moaning to one another about not being able to pay next month's rent. This detail is crucial because it shows South Asians have more in common with Black individuals than they may think, leading to an understanding they could actually be pretty good matches in the dating world. Acknowledging Drs. Vishwakumar and Jackson as a couple helps support this shift in perspective and points out the desire to get more people of colour in STEM.

Another huge win for our doctor duo is how Nalini doesn't face any backlash for dating again after her husband passes away. Traditionally, there has been a ton of stigma towards South Asian women dating as widows, as well as dating outside their race, especially when dating a Black man. This more-than-modern onscreen narrative normalizes how interracial dating is here to stay and dating as a widow doesn't have to be a social sin in the South Asian community.

This Svedka ad is wedding goals

Even though Nalini and Chris haven't ended up together (yet!), we do get the chance to see the promise of everlasting love in this Svedka vodka ad featuring an ultimate Blindian fusion in a Ghanaian and Indian couple. It's a running gag that if South Asians marry interracially, they'll usually end up with a white partner because marrying a white person usually means they're "marrying up." Seeing the natural progression of two culturally rich families coming together through marriage encourages the possibility that marriage can be as serious between Black and South Asian couples as anyone else. In director Candice Vernon's Instagram post, she talks about how she "really wanted this to be authentic to both cultures."

Hip-hop and Bollywood are collaborating to make hits

One of Africa's most famous artists and one of India's most popular singers are set to release a music video and song together this year. The EP between Indian powerhouse Diljit Dosanjh and Tanzanian superstar Diamond Platnumz shows just how close Black and South Asian men are to each other — or at least want to be.

Some South Asian families literally scold their sons for hanging out with Black kids. At the same time, a lot of these sons want to participate in hip-hop culture, trying to be near Black culture without being friends with them because of this stigma. But seeing the one and only Diljit Dosanjh with Diamond Platnumz says "toodles" to these negative vibes. Their teamwork reaffirms the desire for South Asian men to identify with their Black friends and their culture minus the shame.

Aside from these collaborations, there have been other recent, viral instances: Jason Derulo's feature on TikTok's favourite "Jalebi Baby" and the warm friendship between the characters of Daniel Henderson and Alison Namazi on The Morning Show.

When there's more representation of Black and South Asian individuals uplifting one another in mainstream media, there are fewer chances for racial stereotyping to occur.

When people of colour are depicted in nuanced ways and connections to one another, authentic representation can translate from onscreen to IRL relationships that inform and improve our daily lives.