I have always loved Australian soap operas. The only thing I have always wished they would do is have more ethnic minority and disabled central characters. Recently, one of my wishes was granted when the Kapoors joined Neighbours as full time cast members.
Now, their inclusion has raised questions about the portrayal of ethnic minority characters in soaps in my home country, the UK.
Meet The Kapoors
It was recently announced that the Kapoor family of Ajay, Priya and their teenage daughter Rani would join the soap as full cast members. Ajay Kapoor, a local councillor, has had a guest role for some years and has made brief appearances during that time and interacted with other central characters. His wife, Priya, was to take over the job of principal at the local high school, Erinsborough High. They are the first South Asian family ever to move into the fictional Ramsay Street, Erinsborough, where the soap is set.
No Cheesy Stereotypes
Now Sachin Joab, the Asian-Australian actor who plays Ajay Kapoor, has spoken out about the casting. He told the BBC in an article published today that the family were written without resorting to "cheesy stereotypes." In his opinion, Australia is more forward-thinking than the UK when it comes to portraying ethnic minorities in soaps.
"There are no Indian accents, no references to Hinduism or Islam, or Bollywood music," he said.
Joab adds that Neighbours should be commended for its representation of Asian people.
"They could have easily said, 'OK, your character is Ajay Kapoor and we need you to speak with an Indian accent'. But they didn't even ask. They just said 'You're Aussie and you are going to play an Aussie.'"
Racist Comments From Fans And A Missed Opportunity
However, not everyone agrees that cultural traits should be discarded.
Hajaz Akram, principal of the Academy of Asian and Ethnic Dramatic Arts (AAEDA) in London, is concerned that Neighbours ihas missed an opportunity to portray a different culture.
"Asian families do come from ethnic and religious backgrounds, and we need to explore and celebrate that. I think that's important for us to explore as Asian people, but also to let communities be educated themselves."
When Neighbours first announced the arrival of the Kapoor family, some people posted racist comments on the show's website.
A minority of Neighbours fans claimed it was "un-Australian" to cast the new family. The comments were quickly removed, and Neighbours' executive producer, Susan Bowers explained that the show wanted to represent a "more modern society".
But Akram says that, in doing so, the show is failing to represent the distinctiveness of ethnic minorities.
"If you've got a family that is just like everybody else, and who they are and what they stand for doesn't matter, then where is the issue?
"I think there is a massive missed opportunity."
UK Soaps Defend Their Asian Characters
UK soap producers have defended their programmes and their Asian characters.
EastEnders has featured Asian characters since 1985. They currently have an Asian family, the Masoods, who have recently been involved in some major storylines that hardly mentioned their religion or culture. Coronation Street, which I have never seen, got its first permanent Asian family in 1998.
ITV says its Asian characters do not play up to cultural stereotypes.
In a statement, it said: "Dev and Sunita do run a corner shop, but that is incidental to their love lives, relationships and dramas that they find themselves at the centre of."
Shobna Gulati plays the role of Sunita in Coronation Street and says her character's experiences - from life threatening disease and long love affairs to one night stands, marriage and divorce - transcend stereotypes.
"Her cultural references stem from her family, friends and environment," she told the BBC. "She is not defined by these. These references do not form her behaviour and they are not her story.
"I cannot deny my own diverse origins, heritage or cultural reference, why should I? After all, I am an actor and I will bring that to the table to inform my work, but not to define it.
"I play Sunita. I play a person, a human being. She is a barmaid and she does not pull a racially stereotyped pint," she says.
The BBC have so far not commented about this story or the Masood family in Eastenders.
As for me, all I ask for now is an Asian family in Home And Away!
Sarah Ismail - Sarah Ismail is a physically disabled journalist and blogger. She edits her personal blog, Same Difference, which covers all kinds of ...
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