Aasif is highly intelligent and very original. But Mandvi says immigrant actors still have a long way to go before Hollywood comes calling. There are no South Asian actors in Hollywood because there are no South Asian writers in Hollywood. We need more writers to write multi-dimensional roles. Nisha Ganatra, an independent film-maker whose first feature film, Chutney Popcorn , has received three awards already, agrees with Mandvi and challenges the audience to react to the films, to get a change.
Audiences hold a tremendous amount of power.
The opening weekend at movies can help determine whether Hollywood will make more of a given type of movie. Ganatra tried to get roles as an actress in Hollywood at 17, but succeeded only in getting tiny ones and some television pilots. She moved to New York, got a degree in film-making, and decided she liked being behind the camera better. Some say that may take a while. I get tired of people in auditions telling me that I 'don't sound American enough'.