In honor of India’s Independence Day, we bring you a list of the ten most famous celebrities of Indian origin who have reached international stardom. (Photo: WENN)
De Patel may not have been raised in India, but thanks to his roots, this British-born actor is giving the entertainment industry some of the much-needed diversity it’s been lacking! (Photo: WENN)
“Quantico” star, Nic Jonas’ future wife, and one of the most successful Indian stars to reach international stardom. Priyanka Chopra managed to juggle Hollywood and Bollywood like a few others. (Photo: WENN)
He claims to be a “Master of None”, but to us, Aziz Ansari is the master of comedy. With memorable characters like Tom Haverford and Dev Shah, Aziz is without a doubt the funniest Indian in our list! (Photo: WENN)
With credits that include “The Office,” “The Mindy Project,” and “A Wrinkle In Time” we think it’s safe to say Mindy Kaling is definitely one of the hottest TV writers/actors right now! (Photo: WENN)
Kunal Nayyar made the Indian accent cool thanks to his performance as shy little nerd Rajesh Koothrappali in “The Big Bang Theory”. The world loves Kunal so much that he doesn’t even bother about his adorable accent. (Photo: WENN)
She’s the curry of the entertainment industry! With shows like “Padma’s Passport,” “Planet Food,” and “Top Chef,” this South-Indian born beauty Padma Lakshmi rules the Food Network and our hearts! (Photo: WENN)
Whether he is a member of House’s new diagnostic team, Robin Scherbatsky’s love interest, or staring a critically acclaimed film like “The Namesake,” Kal Penn is one the most popular Indian faces in Hollywood. (Photo: WENN)
Freida Pinto’s film debut “Slumdog Millionaire” shot her to fame internationally. And though she never pursued a career in Bollywood, her Hollywood list does include “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger” and “Rise of the Planet of Apes,” (Photo: WENN)
You’d remember him from the gritty Muslim guy in “Lost”, Sayid Jarrah but that’s just a part of the fantastic body of work Naveen Andrews has to show for himself. His film cretdYou don’t often get to see an Indian actor in a Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino movie but you did see Naveen Andrews in “Grindhouse.” (Photo: WENN)
It’s good to find Indian characters depicted in real, meaningful characters in international cinema other than drivers, convenience store owners or the timid little boy in school.
But with A-listers like Dev Patel, Mindy Kaling, and Priyanka Chopra taking over the entertainment industry, South Asians are no longer token diversity hires—they’re the people who control Hollywood both in front of and behind the camera, changing the ridiculous Indian stereotypes one critically acclaimed performance at a time.
In honor of India’s Independence Day, we bring you a list of the ten most famous celebrities of Indian origin who have reached international stardom—from Bollywood big names who’ve pursued parallel careers abroad, to actors from India who went straight to Hollywood fame and glory.
