Elli Avrram Talks About Diversity And Inclusivity In Bollywood, Says “It’s Becoming Like Hollywood”
I feel that despite having a lot of different cultures and being so diverse, for the longest time Bollywood wasn’t inclusive. The type of actors and actresses that were cast were pretty much the same. There was like a checklist of things that an actor had to tick before they were even considered valid options for a role in a movie. While many of these things still exist, there is clearly a huge change in the way actors are cast. Especially with rise of streaming platforms, even Bollywood has gotten open to a more diverse cast rather than having the same few actors do the same types of roles. Actor Elli AvrRam seems to agree with me as she recently spoke about diversity within Bollywood.
Elli AvrRam is a Swedish-Greek actress well known for her role in the movie Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon says that Bollywood has just started being more open-minded to actors from different backgrounds and is showing more inclusivity. “I think it’s becoming like Hollywood. People from so many nationalities are working in our movies today. Bollywood is huge and inclusivity has made it even bigger. I think it’s a beautiful gesture as I always believe that it is not about where you are from but how talented you are and how you make the audience believe in the character you’re playing.” she told Hindustan Times.
Elli AvrRam also seems to be open to international projects as she was seen in the Swedish short film With You. she said that the opportunity had come to her a few years ago when she wanted to act in her mother tongue. However, she is a huge Bollywood fan but wanted to do something different. The short movie talks about mental health which is such an important topic to discuss in today’s day and age, Elli AvrRam stated, “I really wanted to be a part of something that could help us spread light. We were happy as the anti-suicidal organisations came to watch the premiere of the film in Sweden. It made us very emotional.”
Also Read: #Trending : Elli AvrRam Recalls Her Move To India And Shares How She Felt Discriminated Against. She Couldn’t Even Rent An Apartment
Her performance in the Swedish short film won her the best actress at the Stockholm City Film Festival. When asked how much importance does she assign to these awards Elli AvrRam said, “The one which I won for this film is, of course, special as no one knows me in Sweden. I know that they have given me the award based on my performance and not because of any relationship that I share with anyone. It has motivated me to work in more Swedish projects.”
Congratulations to Elli AvrRam for winning such a prestigious award. While I do agree that Bollywood is definitely more open to casting a diverse host of actors, we can be doing much better. I believe that women and men are still expected to abide by societal standards and the kind of actors that are given preference to, simply reinforces these norms rather than eradicate or question them.
First Published: December 20, 2021 6:11 PM
