The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative hosted multi-hyphenate Lilly Singh and filmmaker Sara Zandieh as a part of their signature speaker series on Tuesday, September 16. During the conversation, Singh and Zandieh shared their experiences and perspectives on representation in the entertainment industry.
Singh and Zandieh discussed “Doin’ It,” which began a limited theatrical release on September 17, after previously premiering at SXSW in 2024. In the comedy, Singh wore many hats: writer, producer and actor. Zandieh joined her at the helm as the director, making them a woman of color tour de force.
According to the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, only 1.7% of films from 2007 to 2024 had a female director of underrepresented status. In discussing their experiences with making the film, Sign and Zandieh shared the difficulty they experienced while financing their film, having it picked up by studios and still staying true to their initial vision.
For many South Asians, including myself, Lilly Singh has been a household name for years. Her YouTube sketches, advocacy, and dedication to advancing South Asian representation in the media through humor have been an admirable journey. A self-described storyteller, Singh emphasized the importance of storytelling in shaping culture and understanding. However, she also discussed the importance of having “messy and diverse desires” in South Asian representation. Her film “Doin’ It” delivers.
“Doin’ It” breaks boundaries in many ways. As a sex comedy, it takes a historically taboo topic in the South Asian community and addresses it in a way that was not only relatable to South Asians but to all young adults. In discussing the film, Zandieh shared that the film satirized sex education (Singh plays Maya, a sex education teacher who is still a virgin) and reframed it as a story of coming into adulthood.
The film is generalized enough to be relatable to large audiences, but it is trailblazing simply because it puts a South Asian character at the center of it all. The film is compelling, not just in terms of its humor, but also in how it does not treat being South Asian as the butt of a joke or as the entirety of Maya’s identity.
Of course, there is no singular South Asian identity, and you can’t please everyone — a fact that Singh and Zanideh touched on during their conversation. This idea, described by Singh as part of the “inevitable burden” of representation, speaks to some of the discourse surrounding representation in the media and within underrepresented communities. These discussions also exist within the frames of the institutions in which they are created or facilitated.
When discussing their experiences in the film industry, both Singh and Zandieh spoke to the ways in which they have had to adapt or change their ideas in order to conform to specific notes or ideas from other stakeholders. They explained how representation, particularly in mainstream media, does not happen in a vacuum, and compromises have to be made.
“It’s always the debate of do I cave or not have it made?” Singh said. “It’s always better to get it made.”
When watching the film, I laughed, audibly gasped during some of the cringeworthy scenes, and felt an overwhelming sense of joy at the experience of being seen. The cultural references throughout the film spoke to a community that grew up watching Bollywood films, listening to Diljit Dosanjh and even using Hasan Minhaj as a reference point for attractive men. While these all may not have been my exact experiences, I could relate to the ideas and intentionality behind the references.
At two different points in the film, we saw the characters watching Mindy Kaling’s “Never Have I Ever.” Kaling is listed as one of the Top Creators (2021-2024) on the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s 2024 Inclusion List. While “Never Have I Ever” and “Doin’ It” are similar in that they both are coming-of-age stories with South Asian women leads, the shows also treat being South Asian as an aspect of the characters’ identity, not the entire thing.
Devi Vishwakumar (the main character of “Never Have I Ever”) and Maya Singh are both characters who are grappling with their sexuality and the nuances between being raised in one culture and living in another. Although the scenes shown from “Never Have I Ever” may not have been an explicit plot point in “Doin’ It,” their inclusion was a subtle nod to the fact that stories of representation are becoming more mainstream.
“Doin’ It” handled conversations about culturally taboo or nuanced topics, like sex, the common phrase of “what will people think,” in a compelling way.
It was not just a South Asian story, or a story for South Asian audiences, but being able to see the community on the big screen, in a way that came across as authentic and joyful, resonated. It matters, and it meant something to me.
Like any film, “Doin’ It” was not perfect, but it was human in the way that it embraced narratives of shame, confusion, acceptance, and coming of age — themes that felt especially meaningful in an increasingly polarized world.
When looking to the future, Zandieh described the hope that she saw in Gen Z and younger generations. Although both Singh and Zandieh acknowledged that the journey of representation is an uphill climb, a worthy cause, and one they are willing to fight for, because it matters. “You have to accept the hardship until there’s a systemic change and the paradigm shifts,” said Zandieh, “you have to accept it and keep going, and…know there’s light.”
Earlier in the event, Singh mentioned that she felt that the work of representation was particularly important to do behind the scenes, in order to ensure that the stories are being accurately told. It was hard and often unforgiving work, she said, but not something she would ever get her roses for. Well, Lilly and Sara, here are your roses - with many more to come.
“Doin’ It” is out now, in a limited theatrical release.