Why We Need An Indian Disney Princess

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Growing up as a Disney fan and especially loving the Princesses, the closest thing I had to feeling represented was Jasmine. Unlike the other Princesses, she looked like me because we had the same hair, eyes, and skin colour. However, I am of Indian descent, and Jasmine is from the made-up place of Agrabah - so as much as I love Jasmine and all that she stands for and represents, I still don’t feel like this is enough representation. So, here’s why I think we need an Indian Disney princess.

Representation
If you’re reading this and thinking ‘another post where she talks about representation’ then you’re probably in the wrong place, because representation is something that is really important to me and I will talk about it as much as I can. Disney is something that is loved globally and by a diverse group of people, so it is only fair to say that we’d want representation for everyone. No matter the age group – as we all know that Disney is timeless – it would mean so much to Indian Disney fans to be able to see not only someone that resembles them but also their culture represented in a Disney movie as well as merchandise and other bits that showcase an Indian Disney princess.

Culture
The culture of music, colour, beautiful outfits, and Bollywood films (and of course, our delicious food) is something I love about being Indian. From our movies to our festival celebrations, everything is bursting with colour and music and these are two things that can play as key factors in a Disney musical based Princess film. To me, it only makes sense for there to be an Indian Disney Princess as the culture and heritage of India can be perfectly woven into one of their films. The possibilities of an Indian Disney Princess film are endless – it could be about the main character travelling to India to learn more about her heritage and following all the interesting people she meets along the way. It could be about a Kingdom within India and the adventures the main character has. It would be so easy to combine the Indian culture into a Disney film.

To see an Indian character on the official Princess line-up for Disney would mean more than I can say to me and I know that others would feel the same. For new generations to see themselves represented when they walk into the Disney Store or to be able to have a character meet with a Princess in a Disney Park that looks just like you…it would be an indescribable feeling of joy and elation.
What would you like to see represented in a future Disney movie? Let me know!



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