Minhaj aims to 'do away with' stereotypes in new movie
What's the story
Hasan Minhaj's upcoming Netflix film, Best of the Best, seeks to redefine how Indian and South Asian families are portrayed in American cinema. In an interview with Variety, he spoke about his desire to "do away with" certain stereotypes and tropes that have long been associated with these communities. "There were particular stereotypes and tropes I wanted to do away with," he said.
Family dynamics
'We didn't have parents with accents'
Minhaj's vision for Best of the Best was to portray Indian and South Asian families as contemporary, aspirational, and fully representative of the world they inhabit in 2026.
He emphasized that this shift is evident even in the smallest details.
"We didn't have parents with accents," he said.
"In another instance, we showcased one of the primary parents played by the incredible Janina Gavankar - she is raising Anjali through a divorce - but that isn't the defining thing."
Narrative shift
Shifting away from the 'Indian parent' trope
Minhaj also critiqued the traditional narratives about strict Indian parents and academic pressure.
He wanted to show a different dynamic, focusing on empowerment and survival from a practical perspective.
"There were just these old tropes and stereotypes we wanted to be done with," he said.
"It's really about empowerment: how are you going to survive and how are you going to make a living from a very pragmatic, practical sense."
Parental portrayal
'Parents now are super modern, contemporary, and...'
Minhaj believes that contemporary South Asian parents can exist outside these prescribed stereotypes.
"Parents now are super modern, contemporary, and they see the world as it is, and they, as urban professionals, understand what the stakes are in the world," he said.
"We thought, what if the parents operated that way and that we had this college film honor kind of the modern canon that American college films have as well?"
Cultural shift
The larger goal behind 'Best of the Best'
Minhaj's larger goal was to change how South Asians are positioned within the visual language of American cinema.
He noted that South Asian films are often articulated through pain, poverty, suffering, and racism.
"And when you think about South Asians in American cinema, how often are we centered in the frame and given that aspiration-like glamor?" he asked.
Best of the Best will stream on Netflix from Friday, September 18.