Opinion | Squid Game reignites debate on stereotypical representation of South Asians

Squid Game has become a phenomenon. The riveting Korean drama has become somewhat like a renaissance for the genre that has a fanbase all over the world. Well yes, BTS and Psy have been making major waves in music but Korean drama still commanded a niche audience.

Squid Game has changed that. The weird, at times whimsical series shocks you, keeps you on the edge of the seat and even makes you cry at times.

Amid all this, viewers have been able to pinpoint an aspect which, though not a dampner, may put Squid Game in the list of series depicting South Asians in a stereotypical light.

The character in question is Abdul Ali (A Pakistani played by Indian actor Anupam Tripathi).

Ali has a dishevelled appearance. Works in a factory. Has migrated to Korea to earn more money. He is not a man who you would call confident. He bows to other Korean characters again and again. Though this appears to be out of respect, it has hints of subservience.

To his credit, several characters tell him to stop calling them 'Sir' and to just use their actual names to address them. But Ali faces questions from another character that in effect enquires 'Do you even have a Korean visa?'

Ali's presence is a delight for a South Asian eye (and ear) as he occasionally breaks into Urdu/Hindi, that too in a Korean series. This may be a temporary relief for viewers who don't prefer subtitle-heavy viewing.

But Ali is expendable, he can be easily manipulated. He can be tricked easily. He is poor, heavily in debt and sight of money makes him bow repeatedly to other Korean characters.

Also Read | Squid Game's Anupam Tripathi on series success: I was not prepared

It cannot be denied that there may be people fitting this description across Indian subcontinent. But continued representation of this ethnicity in such a light remains a persistent issue. This, even when South Asians or people with such a heritage have conquered heights globally. US Vice-President Kamala Harris is the latest example.

After all these years, depiction of South Asians in popular media is still far from reality.

Such a representation is not new.

Take Apu from The Simpsons

(Image: Twitter)

The convenience store owner (voice by Hank Azaria himself) has a thick Indian accent. Has a habit of saying "Thank you. Come again" even in normal conversations outside his store. He and his wife have 'octuplets', eight children, apparently a dig at India's population crisis. The character has been in the cartoon series that has gone on for decades and assumed an iconic status.

Hank Azaria recently apologised for depicting Apu in such a way.

Raj from The Big Bang Theory

(Actor Kunal Nayyar who played Raj in The Big Bang Theory)

The genius astrophysicist cannot talk to women without drinking alcohol. He is too too shy. He definitely is part of the main cast but focus is often on other characters. Raj is almost never a main player in the scheme of things. Raj is rich, is a master of his own life. But still faces a comment about him being from 'whichever third world country' in an episode.

Kingo from the Eternals

Kumail Nanjiani hit headlines again when he was roped in to play Kingo in Marvel's Eternals. Yes, he is a cosmic being with incredible power at his disposal. But what is his day job? A Bollywood actor, who appears to take part in run-of-the-mill song-and-dance routing that 'Bollywood' has left behind decades ago.

Asok (From comic strip Dilbert)

(Image: Instagram)

Dilbert has a massive fan base among those who appreciate subtle, dry, office humour. Asok is a graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology. His IQ far exceeds that of his co-workers. He has a weird power of incinerating anyone just by thinking about it.

But he is robotic. Has a flat expression.

Time to quickly move on to wrestling

Jinder Mahal

(Image: Instagram)

Name of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star itself begs the question, do Indians really have such names? Or this has been a manufactured one just to sound recognisable to Americans who associate India only with the Taj Mahal?

Maybe, just maybe, Priyanka Chopra is the only exception to all this. Though she can't be called a Hollywood A-lister yet, roles offered to her till now have not conformed to 'typical' image of an Indian woman prevalent in American minds.

Communities surely have peculiarities and even eccentricities. Problem arises when one is constantly depicted based on decades-old, worn out views no longer reflecting reality to its fullest extent. Things are not all bad, the perception is changing. But everyone is too tired to repeatedly point out that more needs to be done.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)