5 Up-and-Coming South Asian Stars to Keep an eye on in 2016

South Asian entertainers are gaining momentum in the American entertainment industry and we couldn’t be happier.

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South Asian entertainers are gaining momentum in the American entertainment industry and we couldn’t be happier.

There was a time when South Asians were barely represented on TV, in Hollywood movies, on the pages of fashion magazines, or in the music industry–but that is changing more and more with every passing year.

There are a few major South Asian players in the entertainment industry. Mindy Kaling and Aziz Ansari are arguably the most successful, influential South Asian entertainers in America and we’re eternally grateful to these two comedians for opening doors for so many other talents. But Ansari and Kaling aren’t the only people who impressed us in 2015.

[Read Related: “20 South Asian Actors to Watch on Television Right Now“]

There are a handful of South Asian up-and-comers we’ll be watching in 2016—we’re particularly impressed by the following five rising stars.

1. Priyanka Chopra

Chopra had a phenomenal year in 2015—and if our predictions come true, 2016 will be even brighter for this gorgeous actress. Fans are loving “Quantico,” the hit ABC drama in which she stars. We predict a successful crossover into Hollywood stardom and possibly an album (anyone who has heard her work on the song “In My City” knows she has pipes.) Chopra’s undeniable star quality is something special and Americans are taking notice.

[Read Related: “Priyanka Chopra Makes History as First Indian to win People’s Choice Award“]

2. Ritesh Rajan

Rajan is best known for his role as Linus Ahluwalia on the ABC Family’s “Stitchers”—but we suspect he will add many more roles to his resume in the next few years. This actor is so charismatic and seems to have an effortless sense of comedic timing. As a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, we can safely assume he has what it takes to tackle more dramatic roles as well.

3. Ravi Patel

Patel has been active in the industry for nearly a decade, but 2015 was certainly his most prolific year to date. He appeared in Aziz Ansari’s “Master of None,” as well as the hit documentary film, “Meet The Patels”—but you’ll probably also recognize him from his role as Ravi on John Stamos’s FOX show, “Grandfathered.”

[Read Related: “Geeta and Ravi Patel Talk Desi Families and Making Their Documentary, ‘Meet The Patels’“]

4. Melanie Chandra

The star of “Code Black” is the ultimate multitasker. Chandra not just a successful small screen actress; she’s also a Stanford grad and the entrepreneur behind Hospital For Hope. We expect to see a lot of her this coming year–both on and off-screen.

5. Hasan Minhaj

Minhaj has earned quite a reputation for his ability to make insightful, entertaining comments about diversity and Islamaphobia, both on “The Daily Show” and his Off-Broadway, one-man show, “Homecoming King.” We suspect we’ll see more of Minhaj’s comedic chops in 2016–and we won’t be at all surprised if he writes a bestselling book while he’s at it.

[Read Related: “Comedian Hasan Minhaj on ‘Homecoming King’ and the Power of Storytelling“]