The best type of diversity is where the character's race isn't important

So there's always been a lot of discourse on diversity and representation in film. Here's my take

As a third generation indian living in the west, I feel that the portrayal of indians in the UK is so much better the US. In the US, its either a cringey stereotype (e.g. the male character is a sexless loser like Big Bang Theory or effeminate and weak like Dhopinder in Deadpool). So representation has always been something on my mind

I think on the issue of media representation, there are two ways to approach it

One way, is to have a character arc where their race and cultural heritage etc, is a huge part of the arc. I think these types of roles and storylines are very good... its good to see something relatable on screen, something that minorities of any background can relate to. I think this goes for any ethnic minority. This type of storytelling is needed (so think films like Crazy Rich Asians, Minari, Moonlight, etc)

Having said this, I really like films where, in the sense that, the character just happens to be X race, and that the race could be switched to anything else. For example, in Sound of Metal, the protagonist (Riz Ahmed), just happens to be South Asian. You could literally swap this with any other race. Or even Christopher Nolan's Tenet (which I think is not that good of a film), casts a black lead where the race is 100% irrelevant.

I actually really like it when a film just casts a minority that just happens to be X race... and that it isn't dwelled upon. This is how stereotypes are moved away from