Should Asian writers pen Asian characters? Sikandar Kher reacts

Apart from inclusivity, diversity and equal representation of communities and races in Hollywood, the conversation for a need for Asian writers to write Asian characters for a realistic depiction of the community has gained ground.

Actor Sikandar Kher, who is all set to make his Hollywood debut with Monkey Man, a thriller directed by the BAFTA Award winning actor Dev Patel, however, believes that any good writer will have an understanding of and sketch characters belonging to any part of the world with nuances. He elaborates, “It doesn’t really matter where the writer is from. Hollywood, much like Bollywood, has brilliant writers. If you want a certain kind of point of view for a character or want someone with more knowledge about a subject, then that’s a separate conversation.”

But he agrees that film industries across the globe, including Hollywood, have become a level-playing field for everyone, irrespective of where they come from. “Today, it’s all about diversity and inclusivity, unlike before. You’ve Parasite (2014), a Korean film, which won the Academy Award for the best picture. If a film is good, people all over the world will watch it, and that’s amazing for cinema on the whole,” Kher says.

Though Hollywood, in particular, was not in the cards for him, the 40-year-old looks forward to showcasing his work with a new set of audience. “The exposure that the film will give me is going to be like nothing before. The West is a different market altogether and the film will open me up to a completely new industry,” he shares.

Quiz him if he plans on going the Hollywood way to get more work and Kher says, “I don’t have an agent yet. But if thinks work out properly, I guess that’s the only way to go about it. Without one, you can’t really do anything.”