Shubham Maheshwari To Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, South Asian Actors Finding Global Stardom on OTT
OTT Breakthroughs: The onset of OTT platforms has made the entertainment industry accessible based on talent. Actors with no background in the industry have found their big breakthrough with web shows and films based on their zeal to learn and merit.
On the global front, many South Asian actors made it big with their filmography and acting flair. In this article, we look at South Asian actors who recently gained global stardom via OTT despite their lack of connections to the industry.
Shubham Maheshwari (We Were Liars)
Essaying the role of Gat in the American psychological thriller ‘We Were Liars’ on Prime Video, Shubham Maheshwari is one of the newest additions to the list of South Asian actors’ big breakthroughs in the West. Born and raised in Dubai by his Indian immigrant parents, Maheshwari landed the role through an audition with no links to acting or the acting industry. Bringing depth and diversity to the series, Maheshwari has charmed his audience with his debut performance.
View this post on Instagram
Avantika (Big Girls Don’t Cry)
Avantika Vandanapu, aka Avantika, is an American actress and singer best known for the Prime Video show Big Girls Don’t Cry. She is the daughter of an Indian Telugu family born in California.
In 2016, she started her career with a Telugu film, but her rise to fame came as a lead role in the Disney Channel original movie Spin (2021). She carved her way to stardom gradually with Netflix's Senior Year (2022), Prime Video’s Big Girls Don’t Cry, and American Musical comedy Mean Girls (2024).
View this post on Instagram
Simone Ashley (Bridgerton)
The image of Kate Sharma is embossed on the minds of every Bridgerton fan. The ones who do not know Bridgerton, sure do know Simone Ashley’s character.
Simone Ashley was born in England to Indian Tamil parents. Her big break came in Netflix’s show ‘Sex Education’, but her fame catapulted with Netflix’s period drama, ‘Bridgerton’.
View this post on Instagram
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever)
The American comedy teen series turned the life of Maitreyi Ramakrishnan overnight. The show premiered on Netflix and became a teen favorite instantly, throwing Maitreyi into global stardom.
Born to Sir Lankan Tamil Parents in Canada, she is one of the most promising South Asian actresses on the international OTT scene right now.
