Thursday, February 02, 2012

BBC News - Asian characters stereotyped in UK soaps, actor claims

BBC News - Asian characters stereotyped in UK soaps, actor claims: Australia is more forward-thinking than the UK when it comes to portraying ethnic minorities in soaps, an Asian-Australian actor has claimed.

Sachin Joab plays Ajay Kapoor, a member of the first ever South Asian family to move into Neighbours' Ramsay Street.

He says the family were written without resorting to "cheesy stereotypes".

"There are no Indian accents, no references to Hinduism or Islam, or Bollywood music," he said. But UK soap producers have defended their shows.

ITV says the characters on Coronation Street are not defined by their ethnicity, adding that the show is "very much character-led and not issue-led".