Feb. 1, 2023
By Zahara Chowdhury
Staff Writer
Growing up Bengali-American, I never had actual ethnic representation. Sure, there were the stereotypical brainy South Asians like Baljeet from the animated musical-comedy TV series “Phineas and Ferb” or Raj from the sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.” There was also the amusing Kelly Kapoor from the sitcom “The Office.” But these three characters were used for comedic purposes. I know they come from lighthearted shows, but even then, every other character had some depth and was taken seriously. Not the South Asians, though. I have never related to a Brown character in the media or felt like they accurately depicted the South Asian experience.
However, this changed with Kavika, or Kavi, Sharma, who is American Girl’s first South Asian Girl of the Year, unveiled on Dec. 29, 2022. She is Indian American, practices Hinduism and lives in Metuchen, a short train ride from her favorite places: Broadway and New York City.
As a result of watching ‘Wicked’ on Broadway with her grandmother, Kavi aspires to become a performer and works toward her dreams by performing at her school’s talent show. She is well-versed in singing, dancing and playing the keyboard, and her backstage set and transportable trunk are even available for purchase. Her doll features a vibrant outfit, a cropped mesh top, silver jogger-style pants and pink tennis shoes. Of her five outfits, my favorite is the beautiful blue and red lehenga, a special South Asian three-piece blouse, skirt and scarf. She pairs this with a golden tikka and a semi-sheer dupatta, which includes bindi stickers for her forehead.
Author Varsha Bajaj primarily worked on bringing Kavi to life, along with a team of several other South Asians. According to American Girl’s website, due to the inauthentic depictions of Indian culture and diaspora by Western authors, Bajaj used this opportunity to invite readers to learn about her heritage. Choreographer Rina Shah and dancer Arusha Bhargava also advised the project, helping incorporate Bollywood and cultural festivities within Kavi’s story.
Many marginalized groups do not feel part of a community in real life, which is why we need diverse representation like Kavi.
Kavi and I are analogous. I am a Bengali American practicing Islam and live in Lyndhurst, a short drive from my favorite place, New York City. According to the 2020 census, Metuchen has a 14.6% Asian population and is right next to Edison, which has a 50% Asian population. The percentages are significantly larger than Lyndhurst’s 5.9%. I feel isolated in such a small community. I can count on one hand how many South Asians I know of at LHS, and I am not even friends with any of them.
That is why media representation is important. Many marginalized groups do not feel part of a community in real life, which is why we need diverse representation like Kavi. When I was younger, I could not admire or relate to South Asians in the media, but with Kavi, girls like me finally have a realistic and multifaceted figure to whom we can relate.
Kavi is not perfect, though. She does not fully represent South Asians because of her Brahmanic last name. The caste system in India is a social hierarchy, and the surname Sharma is historically associated with the Brahmins, the elite. Kavi’s fair skin and straight hair play into her being whitewashed or fulfilling Indian beauty standards. I also find it confusing why American Girl called her lehenga a Bollywood dance costume since it is not just used for Bollywood dancing nor is it a costume. Rather, it is a traditional outfit with a rich history.
I support American Girl’s initiative to inspire girls through their diverse dolls. In 2022, American Girl welcomed its first Asian Girl of the Year, and in 2020, the Girl of the Year was disabled.
South Asian females like myself never imagine themselves as the main character, but Kavi can change that. She is what the young generation of Brown girls needs. Therefore, I am overjoyed that now the company is focusing on South Asian representation.
