This spring, communications professor Faiza Hirji worked with Little Mosque on the Prairie creator Zarqa Nawaz on a series of discussion panels exploring what it means to be a Muslim woman in TV and film.
Unlike other brown characters who have appeared on television before her, such as The Simpson’s Apu, Devi is more than a sidekick or a figure of fun. She drives the narrative, and in ways that are alternately inspiring, cringe-worthy and relatable.
A YouTube producer trying to create a parody of ‘The Simpsons’ found out that Apu is being phased out of the show. While many will miss Apu, others reflect on what his character represents – a flat stereotype of South Asian immigrants.
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