Ravi Patel: Better roles for Indians in Hollywood now

American actor of Indian origin, Ravi Patel says a lot is changing for talent from our country in Hollywood. He notes that Indian actors are gaining visibility as well as power in the West.

Ravi Patel is best known for the autobiographical comic documentary Meet The Patels. The actor has also featured in series like Scrubs, Master Of None, and Grandfathered, and his career trajectory closely parallels the rise of Asian Americans in Hollywood.

He feels lucky to have witnessed the rise of the Indian community in the US. "As my career has ascended, so have Indians in the fabric of America. I think I've been quite lucky in that sense. As I've moved up in Hollywood, better roles for Indians have shown up. I'm just so grateful for it," says Ravi.

Asked how the representation of Asians has changed in the US, the actor replies, "Asians are at the top of most companies in this country. We are killing it in America. We are gaining both visibility and power in the country. The recent election is a great example — Asian Americans were the most pursued demographic. It was our coming-out party. And this is just the beginning."

Ravi Patel says that it was easy for him to evade being stereotyped. "I do roles that I love. It's that easy. And if I see something that I think is inappropriate, I speak up," he adds.

Gender equality is another debate that has been gaining momentum in the West and Patel believes that men can contribute to that conversation as well. "Listening is the key to understanding this gap," he says.

Ravi Patel, who was recently seen in the Netflix web series Bhaag Beanie Bhaag, headlined by Swara Bhaskar, will next be seen in Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 1984, the much-anticipated Wonder Woman sequel. But he remains tight-lipped about his role. "I'm not allowed to discuss my role, other than to say I love my wig in it," he laughs.