On a gray, rainy Wednesday last week, NBC hosted a press junket for the new show “Little America,” at the unassuming and charming Whitby Hotel in Manhattan. I spoke to Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, writers and executive producers of the show. I walked into their suite and they were sitting on the couch, relaxed, with their feet up – getting up to greet me. Kumail in a black turtleneck and jeans, and Emily in a sparkly, black blazer and black pants looked every bit as glamorous as you would expect them to be, but there was easy energy about them.

The show is an anthology series, with eight episodes in season one, based on the true stories from immigrant families across the United States. It doesn’t center around one ethnic group, instead of telling stories about immigrants from all over the world. The creative duo falls on either side of the immigrant experience – which brings them together in their passion to tell the stories.

Kumail came to the U.S. on a student visa when he was 18, and still remembers the experience of applying to a “faceless bureaucracy that is completely cold and uncaring” and how powerless it can make a person feel. He hopes more Americans will understand the fear of deportation through the first episode in the series, which explores its impact on families.

The fear of deportation is very real for people… Because of paperwork, you can be separated from your family, from everyone you love, and work.

Emily’s experience with the immigration system is through her relationship with Kumail, which gave her a “glimpse into the terror and fear.” It’s this experience that drove her to tell these stories. She said,

I thought this is something everyone should know, should feel and understand how scary and helpless this is.

She wanted to show how difficult it is for immigrants to come to the US when so many people mistakenly believe that the “doors are wide open, but they are not!”

Kumail said,

The show is for everybody, each story has something everyone can connect to, it’s a family show.

While they didn’t set out with the intention of the show to be political, Kumail recognizes its political nature.

It’s coming out at a specific point in American history… It was going to be more profound if we didn’t attempt to make any kind of message.

Making the show itself was a political statement in its own right. While the content of episode eight, “The Son,” dealt with a deeply political issue — a gay Syrian man seeking asylum in the US — it’s production was political too. The shooting had to be moved to Canada because the main actor, a Libyan, could not come into the States because of the Executive Order 13780, banning travelers from specific countries. However, both Kumail and Emily didn’t want to “tell the audience how to feel about which side of the debate to fall on.” With adamant faith in the audience, they both believe that “the audience is very smart, they can draw their own conclusions.”

Ultimately, immigrant stories are human stories. Emily’s passion to tell these stories was hard to miss as she talked about how important it was for them to “speak to universal feelings of wanting home and wanting belonging, love,” to explore the human experience through these specific instances in different immigrant families.

Family is a big theme in “Little America,” both the presence and the absence of family and how that impacts immigrant experiences. Speaking about how much of his own life or experiences he brought into the show, Kumail describes a scene from the first episode, “The Manager,” in which the Indian family is playing cricket together.

I grew up playing cricket on the streets with my dad, with my brother, with just people from the neighborhood… But more than anything I wanted to show a loving family.

Growing up in Pakistan, the focus on family and community was very strong for Kumail. He said,

[It was] very important to show a family that was close – a family that prays together, eats together, watches shows together.

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“Little America” is not only unique in content, as an anthology series about immigrant stories, with no big-name stars; but also, unique in its creative process. The stories are based on true events of different immigrant families, sourced through Epic Magazine’s collection. The actors, writers, and directors are all from the culture that the episode represented.

Lighting up, Kumail shared an incident where someone from Nigeria came up to him and said that they also make fufu from Bisquick at home and how that’s not the best way to do it, which happens in a scene in “The Cowboy;” underscoring that you can only be authentic by “getting people from the culture that understood that.”

People can feel when something is authentic even if they don’t speak the language or are not from that part of the world.

Humbly giving all credit to the casting director for pulling off an unheard-of stunt, Emily described the process of finding diverse and new talent – through casting calls around the world and watching a lot of audition tapes. Kumail, a little more direct, firmly believes that,

Nobody has an excuse, you don’t have to get someone to pretend to be someone else, you can find someone.

Even though it required a little more effort, it is the small details of culture in each episode that makes “Little America” special.

[Read Related: ‘Little America’ Shows 8 Real, Complex & Endearing Stories of Immigration Worth Watching]

To close off the interview, Kumail gave advice for any creative trying to break into the industry:

Have at least three pieces that you can show someone… You have to have done the work to showcase your voice and the kinds of stories you want to tell.

Emphasizing the importance of being authentic to yourself, he said

You have to figure out what makes you different from every other writer, what is your point of view… What can you write that nobody else can write.

Reflecting on the obstacles South Asian creatives face in the industry and the success of “Crazy Rich Asians,” Kumail & “Little America” left me with a feeling of optimism. Even though South Asian representation was lacking in the past, people are finally learning the South Asian audience is a huge untapped opportunity.

Season one of “Little America” is now streaming on Apple TV+.

By Israa Nasir

Israa Nasir, MHC, is the Wellness Editor at Brown Girl Magazine. She is also the founder of Well.Guide, a mental … Read more ›

Photo Courtesy of Varsha Panikar

“After so Long” is a poetry film created for Simha’s EP, which is streaming on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. The poem was collaboratively written by Simha, a U.S. native, and Jae, who is based in India, during the 2020 lockdown. “After so Long” was recited by Simha and their parents. In 2022, I directed and produced the film through my studio, Star Hopper. “After so Long” premiered on Nowness Asia in March 2022.

By Varsha Panikar

Varsha Panikar (they/he) is a filmmaker, writer and multi-disciplinary artist from India. They are the co-founder of Star Hopper, a … Read more ›

Award-winning commercial real estate and land consultant in Arizona, Anita Verma-Lallian, is venturing into the world of entertainment with her newfound production house, Camelback Productions, making her the first South Asian female in the state to do so. Verma-Lallian is a woman used to paving her own way, and now she’s committed to doing it for future generations.

[Read Related: Anita Verma-Lallian Launches Arizona’s First South Asian-owned Film Production and Entertainment Company ]

Through her production company, she aims to contribute towards greater South Asian representation in mainstream media with a focus on storytelling that’s relevant to the community. In a conversation with Brown Girl Magazine, the real estate maven spoke about what inspired her to shift from investing in land to investing in creative dreams.

Tell us more about Camelback Productions and what your hopes are for the company?

The intention is to help communities that are not being represented in the media. As you know, there are a lot more streamers looking for content so that presents an interesting opportunity for people to tell stories that are otherwise not being told.

For us it’s important to tell these stories that aren’t being told, and tell them in the way that we want them to be told. With South Asians, for instance, the roles typically given are stereotypical. There are only four or five roles we are playing repeatedly. I want to show the South Asian community and culture in a different way. 

You come from a business and investor background. I am curious to know what catapulted your interest towards establishing a production company?

Good question. There were a few things that inspired my interest. I was looking to diversify the different opportunities we offered our investors. We’ve done a lot of real estate, so we were overall looking for different investment opportunities.  And then, at the time when I started exploring this, the real estate market was in this wait-and-see for many people. 

Everyone was sitting on the sidelines waiting to see what happens next. There was a slowdown at the end of 2022 which is when I started looking into this more. Film seemed like it was kind of recession-proof and not really tied to what’s happening in the economy, which I thought was refreshing and exciting.

Also, overall, I observed what was happening in the industry with there being a push to see more South Asians in the media. The timing felt right, and I think we’re moving in the right direction.

 

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What kind of content are you looking to create?

Good stories and good quality scripts. We are looking at all types of content — movies, docu-series, comedy shows, and reality shows. We’re open to anything that has a good message. 

On a personal level, what hits home for you with this production company?

Growing up I always loved film and TV. We watched a lot of Bollywood movies because that’s what we related to and I always loved that. But I did feel there wasn’t a lot of representation of people that looked like me. Being able to change that — especially after having kids, and a daughter who wants to go into film — is important for. It’s a contribution for future generations. It’s important to me that as they grow up, they see people that look just like them.  

Is there a significance to the name Camelback?

Yes! Camelback Mountain is a very iconic mountain in Phoenix. It’s one of the most famous hikes we have here and a relatively challenging one.

The significance is being able to overcome challenges and barriers. I have a nice view of Camelback Mountain and it’s something I look at every day, when I’m stressed and overwhelmed. It has a very calming and grounding presence.

To me the mountains signify being grounded and not being able to be moved by external factors. That’s what I want this production company to be!

 

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What would you advise people interested in entering the entertainment industry?

The best advice I would give someone is to align yourself with people that you know are experts in the industry; that have a good track record. Learn from as many people as you can. I learn as much as I can, talk to as many people as I can, and I study different things to understand what was and wasn’t successful.

Photo Credit: Claudia Johnstone

By Rasha Goel

Rasha Goel is a 2X Emmy-nominated television host/producer and international correspondent. Her talent has led to opportunities such as giving … Read more ›

Born in the US and raised in New Zealand, actor Anya Banerjee made her television debut, this past Sunday, in season 10 of NBC’s “The Blacklist.” She is seen playing the character of Siya Malik, daughter of former task force member Meera Malik who met with an untimely death in season one.

[Read Related: Sri Rao and the Future of South Asian Diasporic Cinema]

An MI6 agent, Malik is hoping to learn more about her mother and the work she did with Raymond Reddington. Her character is a sharp, inventive, fearless spy with a knack for spotting what motivates others. Even though this is her first-ever television role, one can see how deeply involved Banerjee is in the character, pushing you to connect back the dots to the history her character comes with. In an interview with Brown Girl Magazine, Banerjee talks more about her journey into acting, what drew her to the role of Siya and what should the audience expect from the 10th and final season of the show:

People, in general, are very influenced by the content they consume. Was there a specific film, play, or television series that got you interested in acting?

As the first in my family to be raised in “the West,” just being in the world involved performing some kind of identity. Film and TV acted as a third parent in that regard. I’m the first actor in my family, but have wanted to do this since before I can remember. Watching “Bend It Like Beckham” when I was in primary school showed me there was a place for South Asian female leads in Hollywood. I’ve also always been drawn to media with some element of the fantastical. I loved Baz Lurhmann’s “Moulin Rouge” because it brought the theatricality of the stage to the screen in a spectacular way. I remember being tickled by the cultural fusion in the film. It reflected my own sense of being at the intersection of various cultures and the appeal of escaping into a made-up world.

Were you a part of any productions in school or in college that influenced you?

I did a lot of singing and dancing as a kid; Indian dance-dramas at Durga Puja and yearly ballet recitals. We did musicals and Shakespeare productions at secondary school and that’s also when I started working in Auckland’s professional theatre scene.

 

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What were some of your favorite roles while pursuing the acting program at Columbia University and how did they prepare you for your television debut?

Casting director James Calleri headed the acting MFA program at Columbia when I was there and his on-camera classes really set us up for success in TV. We also had the tremendous good fortune of being Ron Van Lieu’s first cohort at Columbia. The master acting teacher directed our thesis production of “Where Do We Live?” by Christopher Shinn. I played Lily, a British party girl who has to be physically and emotionally vulnerable in the play. With the help of movement coach Sita Mani and intimacy co-ordinator Alicia Rodis, I gained the confidence to take more risks in my acting. Now I’m playing a very different Brit with a totally different background and disposition but I’m using many of  the same tools I used as Lily to feel grounded as Siya.

How would you describe “The Blacklist” to people wanting to learn more about the show?

Action-packed, full of intrigue, and endlessly entertaining. There’s a reason this show has been killing it for a decade and that’s the high caliber of the cast and crew, as well as the inventive and topical writing that keeps fans coming back for more. Audience members who’ve watched from the beginning will appreciate the full circle moments that my character ushers in — I play the daughter of Meera Malik, late CIA agent from season one so my storyline is a bit of a throwback. But new viewers can use me as an access point into the world of “The Blacklist” as Siya uncovers it, bit by bit, as a newcomer herself.

How did you prepare for the role of Siya Malik and how similar are you in real life to the character you’re playing on screen?

Some of the first things I had to learn on the job were stunts and how to operate a firearm. You’ll be seeing a lot of Siya kicking butt. The gun stuff was entirely new for me but I took to it very quickly and my background as a dancer helped with the fight scenes. Something I identify with in Siya is her resilience. She’s turned the tragedy of her mother’s death into the fuel that led to her own career as an MI6 agent, overcoming obstacles and others’ underestimation of her. That’s the kind of fire inside that  I really admire and hope to practice in my own life.

 

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Are there certain roles you feel suit you better?

I love characters with complex inner worlds — ones who are deeply flawed and may even be outcast from society, but who rise above the odds to carve out space for themselves and the ones they love.

Do you feel South Asians are still pigeonholed into certain roles or has it gotten better?

I think things are a lot better than what I grew up seeing in the early 2000s. “Sound of Metal,” for example, is one of my favorite movies because Riz Ahmed’s riveting performance has little to do with him being South Asian and everything to do with his commitment to an expertly crafted role.

Is there a dream role you would want to play?

On stage, someone as volatile as Emma from Duncan Macmillian’s “People Places & Things.” On screen, someone as funny as Amina in “We Are Lady Parts” or as brave as the title character in “Kimi.”

You have worked with many talented individuals. Is there anyone still on your list you would want to work with in terms of directors, actors, actresses, and others?

Parminder Nagra, obviously! As a Kiwi, it would be a dream come true to work with Jane Campion or Taika Waititi. I’m most excited to form meaningful relationships with artists daring enough to challenge the status quo.

You describe yourself as a “Kiwi-Bengali in the Big City.” How have you felt as an Indian American, raised in New Zealand, coming into the acting world?

There’s been a lot of juggling aspects of my triangular identity. A lot of the times in this industry people want you to be just one thing, or maybe two, but three’s pushing it! The reality is that we live in a globalized world. We have to make room for cultural nuance in the media. So maybe I’ll lean into my American side today, turn up the Kiwi tomorrow, and speak Bengali with my Indian parents on the phone. All are valid, authentic expressions of myself and reflections of the real world.

[Read Related: Manish Dayal on ‘The Resident’ & Telling Stories During and About a Pandemic]

 

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What advice would you give to your younger self?

It’s okay to be a chameleon — in fact it’s a gift. Adapting aspects of your personality and identity to different circumstances is part of being a multicultural artist.

What is something not many people know about you?

I can be a little introverted and have struggled with social anxiety since I was a teenager. I had a bit of an emo phase then, but have since learned to take life less seriously and it’s made me a lot happier. My loved ones nurture and embrace the goofball in me. If you get to know me, I might let you see my inner clown!

Lastly, what do you hope individuals take away from this interview?

Take pride in your difference and embrace the outsider in you. It’s your superpower. There’s no one right way to be a Brown Girl so get out there and be whoever you want to be!

Photo Courtesy of Ted Ely

By Arun S.

Arun fell in love with music at a young age by way of his middle school music teacher Mr. D. … Read more ›