AASIF MANDVI: A GLASS HALF FULL KINDA GUY

Aasif Mandvi has had a 32-yearlong career. But tell him that and he jokes that it sounds terrible. The Mumbai-born British American actor-writer-producer talks about his latest role in the psychological mystery TV series Evil, Trump and his project based on the Partition of 1947. Edited excerpts:

QIn Evil, your character Ben Shakir doesn’t believe in ghosts. Do you? I’m not an empiricist like Ben. I don’t know about ghosts and demons, but I believe there is more to the universe than we understand.

Q. How has the industry changed since you started acting?

I started out in New York in the early ’90s. I played many stereotypical South Asian parts like the cab driver or deli owner until I wrote and performed my one-man show Sakina’s Restaurant in 1998 in response to how I wasn’t getting to do anything with any real nuance or complexity. We’ve come a long way...I think we’re seeing a financial upside to telling stories with a variety of characters from different parts of the world, especially now with streaming platforms. That could change tomorrow—Hollywood is fickle—but, hopefully, it will continue.

Q. Ben was written as a white American and changed once you were on board. Will ongoing discussions in the industry about hiring more nonwhite actors lead to change?

It remains to be seen. As we move towards inclusivity, there is always a reflexive response to progressivism. We see reactions related to tribalism, anti-immigrants, anti-Muslims and so on, to that movement. This is not just in the US but all over the world, India included. Hopefully, as we move forward, there will be various voices from across the world, which will be seen as an asset.

Q. You’ve lost friends over topics like racism in Trump’s America. Do you expect things to get better?

I am a glass half full kinda guy .... Trump has shown how American democracy can be taken over by a person with an autocratic sensibility. I believe after a breakdown comes a breakthrough... and (people) will be more evolved.

Q. Any upcoming India-related projects?

My wife and I are producing an animated feature—which we’re hoping to sell—based on the novel The Night Diary, set in 1947 about the Partition of India.

Q. Has being a new father changed you as an artist? It has made me a richer artist. One of the reasons we were drawn to The Night Diary is that the protagonist Nisha, 12, is half-Hindu and half-Muslim like my son and I think that is a beautiful message to put out in the world right now, especially in India. His very creation couldn’t have happened at a different time in history. I feel he represents something that is inclusive, progressive by his very existence.

Catch Evil at 2 pm on weekdays on Zee Café SD and HD