LK: Stories told well create mass appeal.
TV: In light of #Oscarssowhite, why is it now more important than ever for inclusive stories to be told? What do you say to people who say these stories don’t have mass audience appeal? But people are now becoming more comfortable in telling stories around their identities because audiences have proved receptive, so the industry is starting to encourage it as well. Many minority filmmakers don’t think they’ve “made it” in quite the same way if they achieved success because of a film that has to do with their community rather than one that starred a white dude.
I think a lot of minority filmmakers and actors second-guess the value of their own stories. But since then I’ve been focusing on what it takes to find myself as an artist and strengthen my own style. When I entered this industry, I always hoped to achieve even a little of what Spike Lee did in bringing issues of my community and others to the forefront in entertaining ways. LK: Starting out, there weren’t many South Asian or Muslim role models in entertainment to look up to. TV: As a woman, a Muslim, and a South Asian writer-director, what role models did you look to for direction? What was the biggest challenge you faced in forging your own path? It's time for Hollywood to do its part in erasing what they and the media helped create and let Muslim storytellers tell their stories. It would be a lie to say that Hollywood hasn’t done its fair share in creating part of the fear of Muslims that exists. It’s a young man trying to live up to the legacy of his father and feeling worthy enough for the love of his life. The character of my film happens to be Muslim, but that’s not the majority of his story. Growing up as a minority here I wondered, Who would be interested in a story about brown people? It’s more necessary than ever to have stories that actually reflect the world and people around us. Lena Khan: The film was inspired by stories of my father and other immigrants I know of when they first came to America.
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