Actor Suraj Sharma who gained popularity after starring in ‘Life of Pi’ feels than even though Hollywood is becoming a more inclusive space for global artists, what is still missing is “authentic representation of people of colour.”
He spoke to HT and said, “We have a long way to go. I feel what’s missing is authentic representation of colour on screen in stories, and the general narrative of the world be it history books or wherever you look at it. That’s what is missing,”
He said that in Hollywood, lack of talent is not the problem, it’s the lack of people who drive the content strategy.
He elaborated, “In terms of the industry (in the West), there are lots of actors that are exceptionally talented. That’s not the problem, the problem, or more like the solution is, in people of colour being behind the screen. In decision making places, and places where stories are told. Because at the end of the day, an actor acts on what’s in the script. The script is controlled by someone who writes it or the producers. If people of colour find themselves more in those circumstances and situations, the stories being told will become more true… And then that becomes the perspective of that certain social strata in the world. I feel that is missing right now.”
But the Delhi-born actor was very optimistic because he can see that things are changing in Hollywood. He said that things are evolving and growing in the industry and if this keeps continuing then they will be in a really good place.
Sharma rose to stardom with the Oscar winning ‘Life of Pi’ in 2012. He also starred ‘Million Dollar Arm’ and ‘Homeland’. Sharma also worked with Anushka Sharma in ‘Phillauri’. He is currently a series regular on the sitcom ‘How I Met Your Father’ which is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
‘How I Met Your Father’ is a spin-off show of the popular sitcom series, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ which ran for 9 seasons from 2005 to 2014.
