Jameela Jamil: Great to show our culture to the world

Actress Jameela Jamil feels it is important to portray girls as heroes on screen, and says she would have benefited with such content while growing up.

Los Angeles, March 27 Actress Jameela Jamil feels it is important to portray girls as heroes on screen, and says she would have benefited with such content while growing up.

The actress is glad that she is part of such a show Disney Junior animated series "Mira, Royal Detective". It is a mystery adventure show inspired by the cultures and customs of India.

"You can see a little Indian girl being the person who is the hero and the protagonist of the story. Also it's so important for young south Asian women to see a character where the hero is the girl," said Jameela, whose roots trace back to India.

"She is not just the accomplice or the problem, instead she is the one solving everything, being independent and strong-minded and I think that's something. I really would have benefited with similar content from when I was growing up," added the actress, who has voiced the character of Aunt Pushpa in the show.

Explaining how the show has the power to change perceptions of children from diverse cultures, she said: "I think it's really amazing for children from other cultures to see our culture. We have been exposed in a wonderful way to American and English content, hence, it's great to show our culture to the world."

Set in the fictional land of Jalpur, it follows the life of Mira, a commoner who is appointed to the role of royal detective by the queen.

The series features an all-star cast of prominent South Asian actors including Jameela, Kal Penn, Freida Pinto, Hannah Simone, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Aasif Mandvi and Aparna Nancherla amongst others. It introduced 16-year-old newcomer Leela Ladnier as the voice of Mira. The show airs in India on Disney Channel India.

( With inputs from IANS )