Latest news with #SouthAsians
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Shweta Keswani: For South Asians, making it in the West is always a hustle
Shweta Keswani and (right) with Sakshi Tanwar in a still from Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii Shweta Keswani, known for her roles in TV shows like Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, and Baa Bahoo Aur Baby, moved to the US after marrying lawyer Ken Andino in 2012. However, relocating didn't stop her from pursuing acting. She embraced the opportunities in the West but admits that the journey has been difficult. Reflecting on her 13-year experience, she says, 'For South Asians, especially those trying to make it here, it's always a hustle. It's taken me 13 years to get to where I am today. Not everyone is lucky enough to have an agent like Priyanka Chopra or to get a quick breakthrough.' The actress, who has been part of projects like The Heart Stays (2019), As Sick As They Made Us (2022), Roar (2022) and The Beanie Bubble (2023), and is currently executive producing and acting in the short film Tabassum, highlights how her acting journey in the US has required a major shift. She shares, 'The acting here is different. If I replicated my style from India, I wouldn't book jobs. So, I've been training in acting under several teachers. People asked, 'Why are you learning acting when you've been acting for 20 years?' But the style of acting and auditioning here is so different,' she explains. As an actor of Asian descent, she often finds herself navigating the challenges of typecasting in the industry. She says, 'It's a hit or miss. Sometimes I get offbeat, interesting auditions, but I'm also offered the usual stereotypes. My typical casting range ends up being an FBI agent, a doctor, a lawyer, a web designer, or the aspirational Indian mom. I try to break out of that box by showcasing my versatility through my demo reel to prove that I'm capable of so much more. ' While she's embraced her new life, she misses the chaotic energy of Hindi TV sets. She reminisces, 'I miss the camaraderie, the Indian-ness of it all — the banter, eating together — those moments were special. The people became family.' Shweta also shares her thoughts on possibly returning to India for work. 'I'd love to do mini-series or short projects for OTT where I can complete the work in 15-20 days and return home. I can't commit to the same monthly grind I did in television because I have a family here now. But I miss acting in Hindi TV shows,' she concludes.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
KATSEYE's Lara Raj Explains Why She Unapologetically Wears Her Bindi
Bea Oyster In Teen Vogue's May/June 2025 cover story, KATSEYE member Lara Raj opens up about the inspirations behind her style and how she uses it to represent her Indian culture. Among the many aspects of her typical beauty routine, one of the things most noted by fans, known as EYEKONS, is her bindi. Ever since she debuted on the competition series Dream Academy to earn her spot in HYBE and Universal Music Group subsidiary Geffen's collaborative global girl group, Lara has been known to wear a bindi with many of her looks, regardless of her makeup or outfit for the day. The bindi is a cultural staple for many South Asians, representing core Hindu beliefs and highlighting moments of bonding between friends and family. Such is relatable for Lara, who tells Teen Vogue that her love for fashion and beauty was ignited by her family, especially her mother. 'My mom loves to wear her traditional wedding jewelry with American clothes, which I always thought was so cool growing up,' she says. While the fusion of her shared Easter and Western cultures was inspired by her mother, Lara's dedication to wearing these blended looks on stage also comes from facing stereotypes in her childhood and how she could change things for the next generation. She explains, 'I really wanted to make something like the Ohm necklace or the bindi into a fashion statement and something that people could see as, 'Whoa, that's so sick!' and, 'That's so fire!' And other brown girls, they want to wear it too, as a thing. It's not something to get made fun of for. Because I always got made fun of for it, I really want to change that.' Since these are part of her signature style, they're likely to stay, even while she experiments with new trends. 'I'm trying to be a little bit more chic recently,' she says in our interview. 'Chic is so not my thing. I love sleek clothing, and I like black. I like glamour. And Diesel, Balenciaga, those are my favorite brands in the world. But I'm trying to get more into Miu Miu, Chanel. I even bought Tabis a couple weeks ago and I'm trying to experiment with that.' 'I feel like it feels a little uncomfortable on me because it's so posh in a way, which is so the opposite of my style,' she adds. 'But I don't want to be boxed anymore. I feel like I have a style and that's my thing, and it's always black or chrome or something like that, and I want to expand and be a little bit more fashionable.' Read more about Lara and KATSEYE's personal style in their cover story . Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more style stories from Teen Vogue? Check these out: Where Did All The Tween Fashion Go? All the Beauty Products We Spotted at the 2024 Olympics 9 Sunscreens Teen Vogue Editors Swear By for Year-Round Protection From Rose Water to Eyeliner, An Ode to Middle Eastern & North African Beauty
Economist
4 days ago
- Politics
- Economist
Narendra Modi has kept his vow to make India like Gujarat
THE TWO most consequential South Asians of the 20th century were Gujarati: Mohandas Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, respectively the 'father of the nation' of India and of Pakistan. So was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who as India's first home minister cajoled (or bullied) 565 'princely states' into joining the union.
News18
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Indian Woman Eats Rice With Hands On London Tube, Desis Have A Lot Of Questions
Last Updated: Passengers called it 'unhygienic and inappropriate' for the Tube, where eating is usually discouraged. A viral TikTok video shows a woman of Indian origin eating rice and curry with her hand while speaking on the phone. The clip has sparked strong reactions online, prompting a broader discussion about cultural practices, traditional eating methods, and what constitutes polite behaviour in public. The widely shared clip has also made its way across various social media platforms. It features the woman calmly enjoying her meal—a normal and respected tradition in many South Asian cultures, where eating with one's hands is seen as both cultural and personal. However, the video drew criticism from some fellow passengers and online viewers, who called the act 'unhygienic" or 'inappropriate" for a public setting like the Tube, where food is generally discouraged due to limited space and concerns about cleanliness. Many viewers also criticised her for speaking loudly on the phone, claiming it disrupted fellow passengers. Others suggested she should have used cutlery instead of eating with her hands, viewing it as more appropriate for a public setting. So this is london tube the new trend of eating biryani with bare hands is next sensation 🤣🤣 — •J• (@cjy) May 28, 2025 The video, shared on X on May 28, has garnered over 1,200 views so far. The clip received a range of responses online. Some users defended the woman, saying hand-eating is a cultural tradition and harmless if not disruptive. Others questioned the morality of filming her without consent on public transport. The incident has sparked wider debate around cultural respect, privacy and personal freedom in shared spaces. A user criticised the woman, saying, 'As an Indian, many of us lack civic sense—same with other South Asians. You were right to call her out. If anyone's offended, too bad." Another added, 'Brits eat chips and sandwiches on trains without issue. But the moment an Indian woman eats rice with her hand, it's a problem. Meanwhile, the Tube at night can look like a drug den—yet people are more upset about someone quietly eating." 'It's foolish to eat on trains like that—it's just not appropriate. It might not be illegal or wrong, but it's definitely poor etiquette. Public transport requires a basic level of decency and consideration for others," a user shared a different view. According to the authorities, eating and drinking are allowed on the London Underground. First Published:
NDTV
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- NDTV
Video: Indian Woman Eats Rice With Bare Hands On London Tube, Divides Internet
A TikTok video featuring an Indian-origin woman eating curry and rice with her right hand while talking on the phone has ignited a heated online debate, highlighting cultural differences and public etiquette. The clip, which has gone viral on other social media platforms, shows the woman casually enjoying her meal, a common practice in many South Asian cultures where eating with hands is a cherished tradition. However, some passengers and online users criticised her, labelling the act "unhygienic" or "inappropriate" for a public space like the Tube, where eating is often discouraged due to confined spaces and potential mess. Many also slammed her for talking loudly on the phone, disturbing other passengers, while some advised her to use cutlery while eating. Watch the video here: So this is london tube the new trend of eating biryani with bare hands is next sensation 🤣🤣 — •J• (@cjy) May 28, 2025 The video has garnered mixed reactions online. A few defended her, saying that eating with one's hands is a cultural practice that shouldn't be judged, as long as it's not causing harm to others. Many also questioned the ethics of filming her without consent on the London Underground. The incident has also sparked a broader discussion about cultural norms, personal space, and respect for individual choices. One user wrote, "As an Indian, quite a few of us lack civic sense (same goes for the other South Asians). You did the right thing by calling this woman out. To those who are taking umbrage at this post, too bad." Another commented, "She's not bothering you. She's enjoying her food, leave her alone and mind your own business. She could have been very hungry and needed food. Don't mock others. I've seen white people eat burgers on the train with their HANDS." A third said, "Plenty of Brits eat chips or sandwiches on trains, no one bats an eye. But an Indian woman eating rice with her hand? Suddenly, it's a crisis. Meanwhile London Tube at night looks like a drug den. Funny how harmless traditions bother people more than actual public safety issues." A fourth added, "It's stupid to eat in trains like this, it's just not done. High time we see things like that change; it may not be illegal or immoral, but it does not make for good manners. It's a means of public transport, one has to be mindful of our behaviour, basic human decency." Is eating and drinking allowed on the London Tube? According to food and drink are currently permitted on the London Underground. "There are currently no plans to ban customers from eating or drinking on the transport network. There are circumstances, such as during hot summer weather, when customers are encouraged to carry drinks with them. However, LU, for example, does take active steps to encourage customers to eat and drink responsibly; for example, recent campaigns have asked customers not to eat foods with strong odour and not to leave litter," a statement on the website reads.
