Indian-origin actor says UK soaps stereotype Asian characters more than Aussie counterparts

London - An Indian-origin-Australian actor has claimed that Australia is more forward-thinking than the UK when it comes to portraying ethnic minorities in soaps.

Actor Sachin Joab, who plays Ajay Kapoor, a member of the first ever South Asian family to move into Australian television soap Neighbours' fictional Ramsay Street, said the family were written without resorting to 'cheesy stereotypes'.

Joab said that Neighbours should be commended for its representation of Asian people.

"There are no Indian accents, no references to Hinduism or Islam, or Bollywood music. They could have easily said, 'OK, your character is Ajay Kapoor and we need you to speak with an Indian accent'. But they didn't even ask. They just said 'You're Aussie and you are going to play an Aussie," he said.

UK soap producers, however, have defended their shows, The BBC reports.

ITV, the major commercial public service TV network in the UK, said the characters on British soap opera set Coronation Street are not defined by their ethnicity, adding that the show is "very much character-led and not issue-led".

Shobna Gulati, who plays the role of Sunita in Coronation Street, said her character's experiences, from life threatening disease and long love affairs to one night stands, marriage and divorce, transcend stereotypes.

"Her cultural references stem from her family, friends and environment. She is not defined by these. These references do not form her behaviour and they are not her story. I cannot deny my own diverse origins, heritage or cultural reference, why should I? After all, I am an actor and I will bring that to the table to inform my work, but not to define it," she said.

Meanwhile, the report also said that not everyone agrees that cultural traits should be discarded.

Hajaz Akram, principal of the Academy of Asian and Ethnic Dramatic Arts (AAEDA) in London, believes that 'Asian families do come from ethnic and religious backgrounds, and programme makers and viewers need to explore and celebrate that.'