We like to hate what we don’t perceive: Meiyang Chang

From being a singer, actor and TV host to a dentist, Meiyang Chang comfortably wears many hats. He has been a part of plum Bollywood movies like ‘Badmaash Firm’, ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!’, ‘Bharat’ and ‘Sultan’, however that doesn’t cease the actor from making an attempt one thing new.

“I’ve at all times needed to do one thing in Bengali,” he mentioned once we requested him about ‘Taarkata’, his first Bengali internet collection on ‘Zee5’, the place Chang steps into the position of Dodo, the newly topped Don.

The challenge not solely marks a brand new chapter professionally but additionally reconnects him with the town that has performed a pivotal position in his private journey. Chang recalled his long-standing reference to Kolkata via household, pals and formative life experiences. Whereas finishing his dental research and making ready for larger training, he travelled to Kolkata to audition for Indian Idol. After which, he acquired chosen for ‘Indian Idol 3’ in 2007.

In ‘Taarkata’, Chang performs Dodo, a calculating and ruthless gangster who has climbed his solution to the highest of the legal underworld. In contrast to the loud, flamboyant villains usually seen on display, Dodo’s menace lies in his composure.

“All the pieces in his life is calculated and disciplined. That’s what makes him harmful,” Chang defined. Alongside Chang, the solid contains Vikram Chatterjee, Priyanka Sarkar and others. Chang discovered himself welcomed by the solid and crew, notably lead actor and producer Vikram.

Regardless of appearances in movies comparable to ‘Badmaash Firm’, ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!’, ‘Sultan’ and ‘Joyful Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos’, it nonetheless appears like we don’t see Chang sufficient on the large display. “I do not know, truly,” he mentioned. A part of the reply, he believes, lies within the business’s altering panorama. “Theatrical cinema has modified a lot as a result of movies arrive on OTT platforms in a short time now,” he defined.

On the similar time, internet collection have supplied him alternatives to discover layered characters and longer-form storytelling. “Reveals like ‘Asur’, ‘Trendy Love’ and now ‘Taarkata’ have allowed me to do some very fascinating work. However there’s nonetheless one thing particular about watching a movie in theatres,” he mentioned.

As an Indian of Chinese language heritage, Chang has usually stood out visually within the leisure business. Whereas he mentioned overt prejudice has decreased through the years, stereotypes haven’t disappeared completely. In response to him, it retains taking place now and again. He recalled moments in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and intervals of geopolitical pressure between India and China when anti-Chinese language sentiments resurfaced. “We like to hate what we don’t perceive,” he acknowledged.

Chang believes elevated publicity to completely different cultures via journey, media and the web ought to have diminished such ignorance, but discrimination persists.

“No matter our color is, no matter our ethnic options are, we now have to grasp that we’re all on the identical boat,” he mentioned.