Swara Bhasker: Pre-Oscar gala was all about empowering each other

Actor Swara Bhasker thoroughly enjoyed her Hollywood outing, which came infused with lots of glitz and glamour when she joined the pre-Oscar event honouring South Asian talent. She reveals the gala strengthened the sense of fraternity among people of colour embracing their identity in the West.

Co-hosted by actors Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Mindy Kaling, and Kumail Nanjiani, among others, the event honoured this year’s Oscar Nominees from South Asian communities. It was attended by stars such as Riz Ahmed, Aziz Ansari, Lilly Singh, Kal Penn and Poorna Jagannathan.

“It was a lovely, vibrant, warm evening with very dynamic talent in the room. There were lots of really interesting, creative, talented people. It was really nice to be there and to see our own people excelling in Hollywood, and, you know, celebrating each other,” Bhasker tells us.

The 33-year-old continues, “The nicest thing about it was the sense of fraternity, sense of camaraderie and the sense of unity and identity as something that can be also enabling and empowering for each other.”

Bhasker was pleased to see South Asian people celebrate their talent together. “I met so many people whom I admire, like Priyanka, Kal, Lilly and Poorna, who is such a wonderful actress. In fact, there were also really talented directors and other members of the industry who are working both in India and in Hollywood,” she shares.

After enjoying the Hollywood outing, can we say she is ready to explore the West? She quickly says, “Well, never say never”.

“The world is so global now, and because of streaming platforms and social media, you don’t have to be confined to the boundaries of your country. We tell stories, which are universal and have the power to cross boundaries. This year, India’s Writing with Fire is in the race to win an Oscar, which shows how the very Indian story resonated internationally. It is great that Indian talent and South Asian stories are being appreciated in the West,” she concludes.