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FILM INTERVIEW: SAMRAT CHAKRABARTI

King of Independent Cinema Sees Big Things for South Asians in Hollywood, Western World

By: Parimal M. Rohit
February 20, 2011

British American actor Samrat Chakrabarti has spent a considerable amount of time honing his craft as the leading man of independent cinema, and in those years, Mr. Chakrabarti has established quite the track record. In the time many other actors of South Asian descent have worked their way up the ranks of mainstream cinema, television, and music--including Archie Panjabi, Mindy Kaling, Aziz Ansari, Kal Penn, Asif Mandvi, Kunal Nayyar, the cast of Outsourced, and Jay Sean--Mr. Chakrabarti has successfully made his own noise as the “King of Independent Cinema.”

 
Starring in films such as Ajay Naidu’s Ashes, Soham Mehta’s Fatakra (both of which screened at the just-concluded 2011 Indian International Film Festival of Tampa Bay), as well as the late Manish Acharya’s Loins of Punjab, the Indo Australian production of The Waiting City, and Kissing Cousins (opposite Outsourced star Rebecca Hazelwood), Mr. Chakrabarti has established himself as the leader of the pack when it comes to substantively qualitative actors leading the brigade of talented South Asians infiltrating Hollywood.
 
In taking an active part in a panel discussion about the place of South Asian artists and filmmakers in the world at the 2011 IIFA in Tampa Bay, Mr. Chakrabarti spent a few minutes with Buzzine Bollywood sharing his thoughts on just how far along his brothers and sisters from the Indian subcontinent have come.
 
Below are his observations on several questions asked by Parimal M. Rohit:
 
Parimal M. Rohit: I hear you have a part in an upcoming episode of NBC’s Outsourced. Tell us how that came about...
 
Samrat Chakrabarti on buzzinebollywood.comSamrat Chakrabarti: Funny story about that. I was actually in India visiting some family, seeing some people, having some meeting out there. I did a video audition (for Outsourced) in New York for this role, and then they called me from there (and said): "You got the job." I cut my trip short, which is kind of ironic. I felt like I was getting outsourced from India to L.A. for Outsourced.
 
PMR: Funny! But on a slightly serious note, what would you like to see come out of Outsourced, in terms of progress for the South Asian community?
 
SM: It’s incredible progress, and I don’t think the buck stops here. We can go even more forward. I’d like to see even more stories out there, more interesting characters, more interesting relationships. I just want to keep on pushing boundaries, and I hope America does that. I hope writers and producers do that (as well).
 
PMR: It’s pleasing to see an Indian-themed film festival in a place like Tampa Bay, where you are not only appearing in some films screened there, but also participating in a panel entitled “Home Is Where The Art Is.” What are your thoughts on the Indian International Film Festival in Tampa Bay?
 
SC: It’s great to see places like Tampa, where these guys might not be able to get to New York or L.A. To have them have a festival, and flying some people in from India and all over, it’s really great. I think it’s just more awareness. It’s cool that it’s not about the cosmopolitan cities anymore. People, whether they are of American heritage or South Asian heritage or a mix, can have an opportunity to see what’s going on in the world right now.
 
PMR: Speaking of what’s going on in the world, where do South Asians stand in the world of entertainment, especially in Hollywood and the Western world?
 
SC: It’s not only about Bollywood or Bombay; it’s not only about L.A. or New York. There are outlets that the global world is expanding, and we can go anywhere and do creative things. I think it’s important to continue to create content and, through growth, we will see what works and what doesn’t. There is progress, but there is a long road to go still. I think primetime Outsourced is definitely progress. I want to see even more shows like that. I want to see more South Asians on television … which I am seeing, but in more interesting stories, perhaps some dramas and deeper problems.
 
PMR: Tell us more about these “interesting stories” you want to see more of...
 
SC: With the visibility of Slumdog (Millionaire), obviously with the booming economy in India, we are on the map. India has had a long tradition of a huge film industry. A thousand-plus films per year is no joke. I don’t think too many other countries can boast that. That helps what’s going on. I think we’ve gone over a hurdle of ‘my mom and dad don’t want me to become an artist or a musician’… These stories are very truthful and real and can still be told in a very meaningful way, but there are also other stories that need to be told.
 
PMR: What elements of the South Asian experience would you like to see shared with the world?
 
SC: The capitalism-globalization of India (is one story). There's also gains and loss in social structure, and there are a lot of stories in that. There’s another class that’s dealing with hours that are late-night. Different movie theaters are playing shows at 6:00 a.m. or 8:00 a.m. because people are getting out of work sometimes there, because they are matching America’s (regular business hours). There are a lot of interesting stories happening.
 
PMR: In continuing to make progress as a community, what do South Asians have to do to continue moving forward and raising their own bar for success?
 
SC: I really look up to someone like Mindy Kaling in The Office. She’s someone on television, a series regular, but she’s writing. To get on it, she wrote, she producing, she’s directing. I really hope the Western world, especially America, opens up to more South Asian writer-directors at the helm, to make the stories even more authentic and keeping our voice as our voice. I’d love to see a Spike Lee type of person take this community to another level.
 
PMR: What about personal progress--how do you see yourself progressing?
 
SC: I just want to continue to create, whether it be in music, whether it be in film, whether it be in writing.