Actor Aasif Mandvi has taken a new role in the Hollywood spotlight as the star of the new paranormal, psychological series Evil. While his main character searches for the science behind demons and ghouls, Mandvi gives his audience a lot more to root for than overcoming the supernatural. He is also opening doors for better representation in cinema.
Hailing from India, Mandvi recognizes the impact of his culture in his journey through Hollywood. He uses that background to diversify and widen the spectrum of stories being told on television. In addition to acting, Mandvi wears many other hats, such as creator, producer, and author. He has made appearances in other blockbuster films such as Die Hard with a Vengeance and The Proposal, and has even been part of a number of Broadway musicals.
Mandvi has confirmed that not only will Evil be available on Netflix, but also CBS has confirmed a Season 2.
Good news: there will be! @evil https://t.co/dT0tKHeiqe
— aasif mandvi (@aasif) September 8, 2020
Aasif Mandvi sets his own stage
While born in Mumbai, India, Mandvi spent most of his childhood and adolescence in England. “I grew up on British shows which were very stereotypical and reductive characters,” he recalls.
However, when his family moved to Tampa, Florida, he found a new figure to look up to: Michael Jackson. “I started singing and dancing like him and would get gigs to go and perform at various places…Being able to impersonate him was a way for this brown kid to get some popularity,” he explains.
His interest in performance continued to take hold when he took his first job at MGM Studios with a street improvisation company. This training ground bolstered his resume for his post-graduate life, where he began auditioning in New York for Broadway and small theatre.
Despite his successful transition into television, Mandvi still struggled to make it into the limelight.
“Initially it was just a lot of stereotypical roles in Law and Order,” he mentions “I played a lot of doormen, cab drivers. There weren’t a lot of roles for South Asian actors. Later, when hired for The Daily Show, he was given the position as “Senior Middle East Correspondent” and “Senior Muslim Correspondent.”
Alongside fellow South Asian actor Sakina Jaffrey, Mandvi recalls being asked to do a stereotypical accent for comedic effect. Despite this, he pushed for better and better roles, including stints on Broadway and his latest role as Ben Shakir on Evil, among countless other credits.
Jack of all Hollywood (Master of Some)
In addition to making a multitude of appearances in Hollywood films, Mandvi also uses his other creative talents. He uses these as well to tell his immigrant story.
In 2014, Mandvi published his memoir No Land’s Man. There, he comedically and sincerely reveals his life as an Indian immigrant, moving from India to England and then to the United States. Extending that theme, he also co-wrote the film Today’s Special, a film about how a gourmet chef’s life is turned upside down when he must take over his family’s small Indian restaurant.
“The immigrant story is the story of my life. A lot of my life and my writing pertain to being an immigrant. A lot of my creativity and art and writing come from that well of experience,” he explains.
Aasif Mandvi opens the door for more talent in Hollywood
Despite his success in comedy, Mandvi has not limited himself to the genre. The supernatural CBS drama Evil caught his intrigue quickly.
“Evil is not just a show about exorcism or ghouls and demons- it’s actually a show with psychological elements to it and evil exists in many different forms” he says. Nevertheless, being part of this exciting series is just one element of Mandvi’s vision for the future of Hollywood.
The actor is using his Mumbai heritage to expand the racial and ethnic palette of Hollywood. Due to expansive streaming networks, Americans are more exposed to foreign entertainment now than ever before. In turn, this creates a higher demand for new narratives and traditions. “It’s just really about what is in style and fashion today and hopefully the emergence of stories from a wider palette will continue,” Mandvi says.
Watch the first season of Evil on Netflix on September 30, 2020. Also keep an eye out for Season 2, set to premier in 2020-2021 on CBS.
