Liked Bridgerton? Watch 5 International Shows With Indian-Origin Characters

Popular Netflix series Bridgerton is gaining popularity among viewers, especially the Indian audience, for season 2 features women of Indian Origin as leads. Sharma family—comprising of sisters Kate and Edwina Sharma and their mama Lady Mary—have been the key to the second season of the series set in regency-era Britain along with Anthony Bridgerton. Simone Ashley, Charithra Chandran, and Shelley Conn are seen reprising the roles of Kate Sharma, Edwina Sharma and Lady Mary Sheffield Sharma respectively.

However, this is not the first time when international shows had characters of Indian origin. Popular shows like Park and Recreation, The Office, Big Bang Theory and others have had characters that were of South Asian descent or Indian descent. Danny Pudi, the actor of Indian and Polish descent, brought us the prized character Abed Nadir, a quirky pop-culture enthusiast from the critically acclaimed American sitcom Community.

From having stereotypical geeky Raj Koothrappali from Big Bang Theory to creating more nuanced Indian characters on international shows, we have come a far way.

Suggested Reading: Bollywood Lacking Representation? Priyanka As Mary Kom To Vaani Kapoor As Transwoman?

Here are five International shows with Indian-Origin Characters

Priyanka Chopra in Quantico

The Bareilly-hailing global icon Priyanka Chopra took the American small screen when she starred in Quantico as Alex Parrish. The character is half-Indian and half American; her heritage is rarely a source of prejudice for her except for a brief reference to the India-Pakistan tiff. It is refreshing to see Priyanka Chopra become one with the character of an FBI trainee without the baggage of stardom.

Tina Desai in Sense 8

Netflix’s Sense8 is a sci-fi drama show with the most diverse cast. Played by Tina Desai, Kala Dandekar is one of the main characters featured on the show. She plays a pharmacist and is one of the eight people in a cluster who are connected telepathically. Unlike the typecast as an exotic brown woman, she has a significant role that unfolds over the two seasons. Alongside Desai, actor Purab Kohli makes a recurring appearance as Rajan Rasal, Kala’s fiancé.

Tina Desai in Sense 8 (IMDb)

Sendhil Ramamurthy in Heroes

Ramamurthy appears as a recurring character Mohinder Suresh in the superhero drama Heroes. Suresh is a genetics professor who holds a PhD in Parapsychology and is taking on the research of his dead father and working on a superhuman formula. Ramamurthy has appeared in several other shows including the US version of The Office.

Dev Patel in Newsroom

Patel who shot to fame with the film Slumdog Millionaire has appeared in various shows and films internationally. He is playing Neal Sampat in the journalism drama ">Newsroom. He essays the character of a news correspondent from a third world country with an interest in journalism. Known for his resourcefulness, and hard work, the correspondent is sympathetic to on-ground reporters in middle-east as he relates to people in dire situations with journalistic aspirations.

Dev Patel in Newsroom (IMDb)

Archie Panjabi in The Good Wife

The British-Indian actor has made her mark in the American film and television industry, most recognisable as Kalindi Sharma on The Good Wife, the actor plays an in-house private investigator at Stern, Lockhart, Gardner. She is one of the pivotal characters who is extremely good at her work. The actor is remembered for her role as Pinky Bhamra in the film Bend It Like Beckham.